Explore Minnesota Group Tour Planner 2017

exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 1

BOUNDARY WATER CANOE AREA WILDERNESS. PHOTO CREDIT: GARY HAMER

WELCOME TO MINNESOTA is a proud member of:

When people ask me what travel trends are on the horizon for 2017, I have one word for them: experiences.

People are looking for real, authentic experiences when they travel. While iconic destinations and triedand-true activities are still part of the mix, today’s travelers want to go beyond that and take part in activities and events as a local would.

As tourism continues to evolve, travelers are looking for quality experiences to enhance their trips in ways they haven’t in the past. Today’s travelers may take shorter, but more experiential, trips—and come home with memories that will last a lifetime.

This trend holds true for groups, too. Why take the standard tour, when you can go behind the scenes and do things the average visitor doesn’t get to do? This is why several cities in Minnesota have adopted “Signature Experiences” at various attractions, where groups can practice their acting skills at the famed Guthrie Theater, go on a scavenger hunt at Mall of America, or see their name in lights at one of the country’s newest ballparks.

Throughout the state, you’ll find plenty of experiences that are readymade for groups. Take a boat tour of Voyageurs, Minnesota’s water-based national park. Walk across the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park. Learn about Native American culture firsthand at Pipestone National Monument in southwest Minnesota, or take a look inside the lives of some of Minnesota’s most famous residents, including Charles Lindberg, Sinclair Lewis and the iconic Prince.

No matter what your group is interested in, you will find plenty of experiences to keep them entertained in Minnesota. Browse this guide to discover just a few of the many options, and let us know how we can help make your next group tour an experience to remember.

See you soon,

John Edman, Director, Explore Minnesota EXPLORE MINNESOTA TOURISM 121 7th Place E,. Suite 100 St. Paul, MN 55101 PHONE: 651-296-5029 TOLL-FREE: 800-657-3700

www.ExploreMinnesota.com 2 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

MARKET DEVELOPMENT

JESSICA DODGE, North America Marketing Representative jessica.dodge@state.mn.us

MILLIE PHILIPP, International Marketing Representative millie.philipp@state.mn.us

GAYLE JUNNIL A, Marketing Development Manager gayle.junnila@state.mn.us

Contents

SAMPLE ITINERARIES 20 Shop and Taste at Mall

of America

Bring your appetite to the Western Hemisphere’s largest mall.

21 Celebrate the Season

Minnesota Style

Although any time is a good time to visit, the holiday season is extra special.

23 The Inside Story of Gangsters and

Saints in St. Paul

In this hotbed of gangster activity during Prohibition, a towering cathedral inspired the name of the hometown St. Paul Saints.

24 Special Minneapolis Group

Experiences Designed Just For You

A sampling of history and culture, outdoor adventure, behind-the-scenes experiences and world-class entertainment.

2

4

Welcome to Minnesota

34 Discovering Southern Minnesota From small towns to memorable attractions, there’s a variety of activities and landscapes waiting for you.

GETTING HERE AND GETTING AROUND IS EASY

35 Hub and Spoke from Rochester

Maps and Mileage Charts

Beginning in the home of the worldfamous Mayo Clinic, this itinerary takes you to charming Lanesboro and historic Owatonna.

MINNESOTA TRAVEL TIPS

67 Helpful Advice for Visiting Minnesota 68 Welcome Centers and Consulates 70 Telephone Numbers

47 Northeast Minnesota’s

Mines and More!

From Ely through the Iron Range to Grand Rapids, this tour shares much of the history and adventure of the region.

READER SERVICE

46 Stunning Views and Memorable

72 Request Information from Advertisers

WHERE TO GO FEATURES 8 26 36 48 56

Minneapolis-St. Paul Area Southern Region Northeast Region Central Region Northwest Region Comprehensive listings of destination telephone numbers and URLs found in the back of each region

Experiences on Minnesota’s North Shore

Trains, ships, carriage rides and art are coupled with landscapes and lake views.

55 Exploring Literature and Lakes (and so much more) in Central Minnesota

Visiting “Up North” is an experience that shares the area’s rich history and memorable Main Streets.

64 Experience the Memorable Towns

and Attractions of Minnesota’s Northwest Region

A region filled with outdoor beauty, recreation, plus art and science, is sure to have you returning again and again.

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M I NNESOTA map & mileage

Welcome Centers are located on major highways at key points in the state.

Information Centers in these citiies are affliliated with Explore Minnesota Tourism and provide statewide travel information.

In the Twin Cities area, these information centers are in downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis Park and Mall of America.

Two centers are open seasonally; the others operate year-round.

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EASY TO GET HERE. EASY TO GET AROUND. Getting Around

The interstate highway system provides easy access to Minnesota with the east-west highways I-90 and I-94 and north-south I-35. There’s also access along the western border from nearby north-south I-29 through the Dakotas.

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M I NNESOTA transportation

Air Transportation

There are more than 125 public airports in Minnesota, the largest being MSP International Airport in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

A dozen major airlines service Minnesota including Air Canada, Air Tran, American, Delta, Frontier, Great Lakes, Icelandair, KLM, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country and United.

FLIGHT TIME TO MPLS-ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Atlanta, GA Boston, MA Cleveland, OH Dallas, TX Denver, CO Los Angeles, CA Miami, FL Mexico City, Mexico Montreal, Quebec New York, NY Regina, Sask.

San Francisco, CA Toronto, Ontario Washington, DC

2:41 3:10 2:10 2:20 1:50 3:20 3:50 6:30 3:05 3:05 2:45 3:30 3:35 2:43

Train Travel

Some of the state’s best scenery is found along Amtrak’s Empire Builder route through Minnesota. The train serves Winona, Red Wing, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Staples, Detroit Lakes and Fargo-Moorhead. The Twin Cities Passenger Station is located in St. Paul at Union Depot, 240 Kellogg Blvd. E.

2017 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner is published by Premier Travel Media for Explore Minnesota Tourism.

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NORTHSTAR.PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM J. FORD

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All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

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M I NNESOTA Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

ST. PAUL SKYLINE

IF YOU HAVEN’T VISITED THE TWIN CITIES AREA IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, YOU HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED THIS DYNAMIC METROPOLIS. The expansion of world-class attractions, coupled with new group-friendly sites, shows off the region’s significant growth. Bringing it all together for visitors’ enjoyment are more than 30 Signature Experiences that are perfect for groups.

Visit Saint Paul, Meet Minneapolis, Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau and Mall of America have launched more than 30 exceptional experiential tourism offerings. Believed to be the largest collection of any metropolitan area, the Signature Experiences offer groups exclusive

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and interactive involvement through unique tours, performances and demonstrations.

With Signature Experiences, a memorable itinerary is limited only by your imagination. Inquisitive? Go behind the scenes at Como Zoo in St. Paul and

make a treat for the polar bears and feed a giraffe, or get an insider’s look at Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium inside Mall of America. Adventuresome?

Enjoy an urban kayaking tour or Segway historical tour. Health-conscious? Become inspired to be healthier through a four-course luncheon and discussion, or do some tastings while learning the benefits of cooking with oils, vinegars and spices. Creative? Explore the ancient technique of crafting designs from wool textures or learn the art of stage combat. And who wouldn’t enjoy a scavenger hunt at Mall of America?

entertainment destination that will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2017. An additional 850 “...impressive rooms have been added to additions to the Bloomington’s hotel inventory, bringing the to520-store shopping tal to more than 9,550. and entertainment

In Bloomington, the largest mall in the Western Hemisphere is growing, again. Mall of America is expanding with new stores Zara, destination that will Toms, Anthropologie, a In Minneapolis, it’s rebe celebrating its first-in-Minnesota Jimferred to as the “Minne25th anniversary my Buffett’s Margariapolis Big Build.” More in 2017.” taville Restaurant and a than 20 major projects new October/Novemare adding new facilities, ber program just for groups. Count green space and amenities. U.S. these developments as impressive adBank Stadium opened in July 2016 ditions to the 520-store shopping and

as the new home to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. The world-class facility will host the 2017 and 2018 X Games, Super Bowl LII in 2018 and the NCAA Final Four in 2019. Target Center, home to Minnesota Timberwolves basketball, is going through a three-phase renovation featuring a new glass atrium in 2017. The new Nicollet Mall will open in 2017 with pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and improved lighting.

RiverFirst/Riverfront Walk will feature parks and trails on both sides of the river, providing opportunities for performances and historical interpretations.

MALL OF AMERICA

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The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden renovation at the Walker Art Center will be the first since its debut in 1988.

Sixteen new artworks will be added to the garden and throughout the Walker campus, with opening planned for June 2017. Each of the site-specific commissioned works will continue the sculpture garden’s presentation of figurative and geometric abstract pieces.

The unified combination of the Walker and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden will include a new entrance center, expanded green space, five additional acres for artwork, and indoor and outdoor dining at the Ester Grove restaurant overseen by renowned Executive Chef Doug Flicker.

Green Line Light Rail now connects St. Paul with downtown Minneapolis with connections to MSP Airport and Mall of America. Ballpark Magazine voted CHS Field, home to the St. Paul Saints, as the best new ballpark in 2015. Hyatt Place opened in late 2016 in the former St. Paul Post Office, and the new Hampton Inn will open its 160-room proper“...this ty in 2017.

For a look at the St. Paul gangster scene of the ‘30s, visit Wabasha Street Caves. Guided tours of this former speakeasy and the surrounding community tell the story of St. Paul’s history of nightclubs, gangsters, kidnappings and shootings 80 years ago.

Of course, there are constantly changing, always amazing exhibits and memories waiting for visitors to the region’s cultural landmarks. The Minneapolis Institute of Art offers a comprehensive look at world art, from ancient to contemporary, plus special exhibition galleries. The American Swedish Institute presents changing exhibits in both the ASI’s galleries and 33-room Turnblad Mansion, the first building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Minneapolis. Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts inspires through demonstration and discovery.

former speakeasy and the surrounding community tell the story of St. Paul’s history...”

PHOTO CREDIT: JEREMY NELSON

St. Paul has been very busy the past few years. The $40-million Ordway Center for the Performing Arts opened a new 1,100-seat Concert Hall. St. Paul breweries are now up to 11, including Urban Growler Brewing, Minnesota’s first woman-owned and -brewed microbrewery, and Burning Brothers Brewing, one of the country’s few gluten-free breweries. The

Minneapolis-St. Paul was voted at the top of the “10 Best Local Food Scenes” list by USA Today readers in 2015. New restaurants with local flavor continue to appear in St. Paul.

Handsome Hog and Saint Dinette are just a few new St. Paul favorites. Add Ox Cart Ale House and Citizen Supper Club to the list and you’re guaranteed not to go hungry. The Commodore Bar & Restaurant reopened after being restored to its 1920s / 1930s style.

Hear the story of the basement speakeasy that operated during Prohibition, which often hosted the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and even a few mobsters.

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M I NNESOTA Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

PRINCE ATRIUM AT PAISLEY PARK

History comes alive throughout the region. The Minnesota History Center in St. Paul features four fascinating exhibit halls. None should be missed, but save time for “Open House: If These Walls Could Talk, One Home Many Families.” A film and exhibits at Mill City Museum explain why Minneapolis was called Mill City. However, it’s the Flour Tower elevator experience

that makes this stop memorable. Still needing more history? Add Historic Fort Snelling, James J. Hill House, Alexander Ramsey House, Sibley Historic Site and Minnehaha Depot to your itinerary.

Just west of Minneapolis in Chanhasen there’s a special anniversary coming. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres will be celebrating its 50th anni-

CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATRES

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versary in 2018. Make reservations soon—they often sell out. In addition to relaxed dining with a half-dozen entrée choices and an outstanding show, backstage tours and workshops are available with advance notice. In other exciting news, Prince’s Paisley Park will be permanently open for tours beginning in 2017. Tickets are now available.

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Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

With more than 15 well-recognized hotels, Eagan makes a convenient place to stay for your group’s Twin Cities getaway. And with dining options from American and Asian to Mediterranean and Mexican, even the pickiest eaters will be satisfied. Also in Eagan is Twin Cities Premium Outlets, which has more than 100 stores offering savings of up to 65 percent on designer and name brands. Remember, there’s no sales tax on clothing or shoes in Minnesota.

Minneapolis-St. Paul is one of the few metro areas with all professional sports teams covered.

Take the light rail to downtown Minneapolis for a Twins, Vikings or Timberwolves game.

The Xcel Energy Center is just a short trip to St. Paul for a Minnesota Wild hockey game or Minnesota Lynx basketball game.

The Minnesota United FC soccer team will open their 2017 season at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis while their new professional stadium is being built, in St. Paul. Home also to the

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University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, the stadium is the first new football stadium in the Big Ten since 1960. Canterbury Park Race Track & Card Club in Shakopee is just a short drive.

Their Live Racing Packages are a favorite of groups and can be tailored to fit any interest and budget.

Roseville is perfectly situated for groups visiting the Minneapolis -St. Paul area with easy access to all area attractions and more than 1,400 affordable, recognizable hotel rooms.

Rosedale Center features 160 retailers and seven full-service restaurants.

Also in Roseville are the spectacular Guidant John Rose MN Oval skating center, one of the world’s largest refrigerated ice surfaces, and Bent Brewstillery, which offers brewery and distillery tours along with taproom rental for special functions.

Stillwater might just be the place to begin your Minneapolis-St. Paul experience, just like Minnesota did in 1848 when it became a state. A charming, historic river community located on the banks of the St. Croix River, it is just minutes from the Twin Cities.

Explore Stillwater with a Segway tour, geocaching, and historic

walking tours. Discover the historic side of Stillwater at the Warden House Museum, Washington County Courthouse, Arcola Mills and Joseph Wolf Historic Caves.

Ten farm-to-fork culinary experiences are found in Stillwater. Aamodt’s Apple Farm offers seasonal pickings as well as local apple and honey products. Private cooking classes are available at Chef Ray’s Kitchen and Cooks on Crocus Hill. The Wedge & Wheel is perfect for private cheese tastings and wine/beer pairings. There are even a half-dozen wineries/breweries left to explore.

History buffs should find their way to Hastings. Proud of its heritage, the community features 64 homes on the National Register of Historic Places.

A guided tour of LeDuc Historic Estate is a must, while Hastings history is on display at Alexis Bailly, Minnesota’s first vineyard.

ANTIQUE STORE IN ROSEVILLE

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Minneapolis-St. Paul Area Hastings is on the Great River Road, the longest and oldest National Scenic Byway. Lock & Dam 2 has a scenic observation deck for visitors. Fill your Hastings stay with attractions, entertainment, recreation, and more than a dozen restaurant options.

Minneapolis-St. Paul and its neighboring communities are packed with group travel opportunities. Whether you’re a first time or returning visitor, you may want to pack an extra bag and add a day (or two) to the itinerary.

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MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL The Minnesota State Capitol will reopen January 2017 for guided tours. Tours provide an overview of Capitol history, art, architecture and state government, and will highlight the massive restoration effort, the largest since opening in 1905.

Scenic Byways MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL

ST. CROIX SCENIC BYWAY

The 124-mile St. Croix Scenic Byway runs from Point Douglas to a point north of Sandstone, MN. Prepare to be impressed by the great beauty of the St. Croix “Wild and Scenic” River Valley. Long vistas and rolling landscape in the south change to a more rugged environment of rock, cliffs and woods as you proceed north. Once in historic Pine County you will realize that you have truly arrived in the “North Country.”

MINNEAPOLIS GRAND ROUNDS SCENIC BYWAY

STILLWATER ANTIQUE STORE. PHOTO CREDIT: AHI NAHUM

The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway offers a little bit of everything: great scenery, historic sites, modern and contemporary art, outdoor recreation, and great shopping and dining, all within the heart of Minneapolis. Highlights include a wildflower garden at Theodore Wirth Park, a large rose garden at Lake Harriet and a beautiful waterfall at Minnehaha Park. The byway brings you close to Orchestra Hall, Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and Guthrie Theater. Views of the Minneapolis skyline are visible from just about every portion of Grand Rounds.

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TAKE A WALK IN...

Prince’s Shoes

His beats are catchy, making you want to get up and dance.

His lyrics are powerful, penetrating the heart and soul. His image is admirable in both the fashion and music world.

Prince is a legend who will live on in spirit, despite being taken from this world too soon. The rock star’s legacy is best honored in his hometown of Minneapolis, where throngs of devotees have come to pay their respects to the artist at Prince-related venues and murals all over the city.

Prince was a world traveler, touring the globe and touching millions with his music. Yet Minneapolis would always be home to him. In fact, it’s where Paisley Park, his extraordinary private estate and studio in suburban Chanhassen, is located. This shrine to Prince, now open to the public, is a stop on the unofficial Prince tour. Fans have an unprecedented opportunity to see first-hand where Prince lived and created many of his hits. They will see artifacts from Prince’s personal archives, including concert outfits, awards, instruments and artwork. Paisley Park tickets are only available in advance online and are not available for purchase at the gate. Tours are ThursdaySunday with varying hours. Visit officialpaisleypark.com for availability and additional information.

First Avenue (701 First Ave. N.) is a hub of Minneapolis’ live music scene. This was one of Prince’s main stages to test his eccentric sounds. In 1983, the album version of “Purple Rain” was recorded there live, and it also became the backdrop for many scenes in the movie of the same name.

Sound 80 (222 S. Ninth St.) is the studio where Prince recorded multiple tracks in the late 1970s. The Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant (1010 Nicollet Mall), just a short walk from First Avenue, was a local favorite of the singer.

He would often appear here unexpectedly to support local musicians. In 2013, Prince performed a set of shows that sold out within a half an hour of being announced.

PRINCE MURAL - CHANHASSEN

PURPLE RAIN EXHIBIT. PHOTO CREDIT: PAISLEY PARK/NPG RECORDS

The next stop on the Prince tour is The Electric Fetus (2000 Fourth St. S.). Opened in 1968, this popular record store was frequented by Prince and his entourage. Capri Theater (2027 West Broadway) was the site of Prince’s first concerts as a solo artist back in 1979. As you journey from one site to the next, be sure to check the walls along the streets. There are public murals of Prince on the corner of 26th and Hennepin in the Uptown neighborhood, and another on the wall of Chanhassen Cinema.

Prince’s spirit shines bright in Minneapolis, a city that will forever honor his life and his legacy.

PAISLEY PARK CHANHASSEN MEMORIAL. PHOTO CREDIT: PAISLEY PARK/NPG RECORDS 18 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL VISITOR INFORMATION C of C: Chamber of Commerce | CVB: Convention and Visitors Bureau | C & C: Civic and Commerce Apple Valley C of C/CVB 952-432-8422 visitapplevalley.com

Falls C of C 715-483-3580 fallschamber.org

Roseville Visitors Assn.

877-980-3002 visitroseville.com

Bloomington CVB 800-346-4289 bloomingtonmn.org

Hastings Area C of C 651-437-6775 hastingsmn.org

Discover St. Louis Park 952-426-4047 discoverstlouispark.com

Buffalo Area C of C & Tourism 763-682-4902 buffalo-mn.org

Inver Grove Heights CVB 800-584-4281 visitigh.com

Visit Saint Paul 800-627-6101 visitsaintpaul.com

Burnsville CVB 800-521-6055 burnsvillemn.com

Lakeville CVB 952-469-2020 visitlakeville.org

Visit Shakopee 800-574-2150 visitshakopee.org

Chisago Lakes Area C of C 651-257-1177 chisagolakeschamber.com

Meet Minneapolis 888-676-6757 minneapolis.org

Eagan CVB 866-324-2620 eaganmn.com

Minneapolis Northwest Tourism 800-541-4364 minneapolisnorthwest.com

Stillwater & Oak Park Heights CVB 651-351-1717 discoverstillwater.com

Explore Edina 952-806-9064 exploreedina.com

Vacation Minneapolis South 866-324-2620 minneapolissouth.com

Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka C of C 952-474-6461 excelsior-lakeminnetonkachamber.com

North Branch Area C of C 651-674-4077 northbranchchamber.com Richfield Tourism 612-866-5100 visitrichfield.com

Twin Cities Gateway 763-785-5640 tcgateway.com Waconia C of C 952-442-5812 destinationwaconia.org Explore White Bear 651-653-5122 explorewhitebear.org

Lori A. Peterson: Minneapolis-St. Paul Region Representative 121 7th Pl E Suite 100 | St Paul, MN 55101 651. 757.1876 | 1.800.657.3637 Lori.A.Peterson@state.mn.us

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I T I NER ARY Metro Region

ITINERARY

Shop & Taste AT MALL OF AMERICA

You’d assume the Western Hemisphere’s largest mall would offer almost endless shopping options. While that is true, you’ll also need to bring your appetite in order to fully experience Mall of America.

DAY ONE

Arrive in Bloomington early afternoon for a Mall of America Scavenger Hunt. Dick’s Last Resort hosts this Signature Experience. You’ll be given an iPad and your MOA knowledge will be tested with 32 questions. This one-of-a-kind way to see MOA is great fun and perfect for planning your shopping strategy over the next few days. Tonight, it’s dinner at Dick’s Last Resort to announce the winners and share some photos of the hunt.

Check in at your Bloomington hotel.

DAY TWO

After breakfast at your hotel and with your game plan in hand, today is the day for serious shopping at Mall of America. The largest retail and entertainment complex in North America welcomes you to its 520 world-class shops and 50 dining options all under one roof.

Lunch at Hard Rock Café and partake in a behind-the-scenes Signature Experience. Discover the history and tales that have built this legendary global brand. Hear the story behind the collectible pins and view rock & roll memorabilia. Your shopping adventure continues after lunch.

Dinner tonight will be a guided epicurean delight at VOM FASS for the “Art of Delicious Dining – Mediterranean Style.” A fun, interactive three-course tasting program introduces guests to

FIRELAKE GRILL HOUSE & COCKTAIL BAR

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Mediterranean food and lifestyle. Customized options, including wine and spirits, can be arranged for this private gathering.

Return to hotel. NOTE: Bloomington hotels provide shuttle service to/from MOA. If guests decide to continue shopping after dinner, transportation can be arranged.

DAY THREE

Breakfast at your hotel before departure for Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium and another behind-the-scenes Signature Experience.

You’ll visit the laboratory and see how 1.3 million gallons of water are maintained and visit the food prep kitchen to see what thousands of creatures are fed. You’ll have time for a leisurely stroll through the aquarium to experience its almost hypnotic sound.

Lunch on your own at MOA’s Culinary on North food court before continuing shopping for those last-minute items. It’s been estimated that it would take three days to visit all the shops in MOA! You made a pretty good start in just a few days.

Dinner tonight is a Signature Culinary Experience at FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar. “Taste of the Seasons” is designed to introduce diners to experience the bounty of Minnesota cuisine.

It’s true farm-to-table food with the freshest and most appetizing ingredients. You’ll learn recipes, cooking tips and the latest food trends from expert chefs.

Return to hotel.

DAY FOUR

Breakfast at the hotel, grab your luggage and it’s departure for home with a great taste for dining and shopping in Bloomington and Mall of America.

ITINERARY

Celebrate THE HOLIDAY SEASON MINNESOTA STYLE

Wherever you stay is ideal for hub-and-spoke group tours of the entire Minneapolis-St. Paul region in all its holiday splendor. Although any time is a good time to visit, the holiday season is extra special.

DAY ONE

Arrive in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area by noon.

Begin your adventure with a behind-the-scenes tour of Bachman’s, Minneapolis one of the Twin Cities’ largest floral, gift and garden centers. Make sure to include a self-guided tour of Bachman’s Holiday Ideas House for trendsetting décor and inspiring ideas.

After your tour, check into your hotel and freshen up for dinner.

Dinner is at CRAVE American Kitchen and Sushi Bar in Minneapolis, a local favorite restaurant.

Following dinner it’s off to the Guthrie Theater for the 43rd year of the classic production “A Christmas Carol.” Ebenezer Scrooge is a gloomy man, but after being visited by ghosts from his past, the present and the grim future, he changes his miserly ways. exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 21

I T I NER ARY Metro Region

DAY THREE

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and depart for shopping.

In Bloomington, Mall of America and its more than 520 shops are decked out in all their holiday splendor. The Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan have more than 100 of your favorite brands. Rosedale Center one of the Twin Cities’ premier shopping destinations with more than 160 retailers, is conveniently located in Roseville. Enjoy lunch on your own before a mid-afternoon departure to Stillwater.

DAY TWO

Breakfast at your hotel and depart for Minneapolis.

The first stop is the American Swedish Institute. Enjoy a festive holiday lunch followed by a tour of historic Turnblad Mansion and the annual holiday display of lavishly decorated trees, tables set for a Christmas feast and hand-crafted ornaments from Scandinavian countries.

Experience the holidays like you remember. Historic Main Street in Stillwater is alive with Christmas lights, decorations and events. There are carolers, Victorian teas at historic inns, B&B tours, free horse-drawn Victorian wagonette rides along the river, and shopping specials galore.

Dinner tonight is at the George Washington Room of Stillwater’s historic Lowell Inn. The traditional American menu is served in a classic setting reminiscent of Colonial Williamsburg.

It’s time to head to St. Paul and discover the Alexander Ramsey House. Decorated for the holidays, the house is one of the nation’s best-preserved Victorian-era homes. Afterward, we’ll get some holiday shopping done at the eclectic collection of quaint stores on Grand Avenue.

Tonight, experience dinner at any one of the area’s group-friendly restaurants.

PHOTO CREDIT: MARY I

DAY FOUR

Depart for home in the holiday spirit, Minnesota style!

Just One More Day! ALEXANDER RAMSEY HOUSE

Following dinner, depart for the Guidant John Rose MN OVAL in Roseville for ice skating and the holiday lights of OVALumination, with more than 75,000 sparkling in the night.

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Depart for Duluth to explore the city on the greatest Great Lake, Lake Superior. Upon arrival, check into your hotel before enjoying dinner at one of Duluth’s group-friendly restaurants. Ten of those restaurants feature water views.

Arrive at Bayfront Festival Park on the shores of Lake Superior and experience the Bentleyville Tour of Lights.

America’s largest walk-through lighting display features more than 4 million lights. Enjoy complimentary hot cocoa, cookies, popcorn and roasted marshmallows. Twenty fire pits using more than 250 cubic yards of firewood keep visitors warm as they stroll the paved walkways.

ITINERARY THE INSIDE STORY OF

Gangsters & Saints IN ST. PAUL

During the Prohibition era, St. Paul was a hotbed of gangster activity and notorious crimes.Towering over the lawlessness was the Cathedral of Saint Paul, which later inspired the name of the hometown St. Paul Saints minor league baseball team. (It certainly sounds better than the St. Paul John Dillingers.)

DAY ONE

Arrive in St. Paul before noon for a Landmark Center Building Tour. The historic building was completed in 1902 and originally served as the Federal Court House for the Upper Midwest. A St. Paul Signature Experience, you’ll tour the nooks, crooks and crannies of this historical and notorious building.

Check into hotel and refresh before dinner.

Enjoy dinner at The Commodore Bar and Restaurant. The Commodore Hotel, a residential hotel and its art deco bar, opened in 1920, but Prohibition soon forced the hotel’s bar to close. It did not take long before a speakeasy opened in the basement hosting F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Chicago mobsters, who were given protection from prosecution in St. Paul if they left the locals alone. The bar has reopened in its 1920s/30s style.

DAY TWO

Breakfast at hotel and depart for The St. Paul Gangster Tour. Join a disreputable mobster or his moll to explore the local sites of kidnappings, gun battles, hideouts and nightclubs. Here, the likes of John Dillinger, Ma Barker, Babyface Nelson and others planned and executed some of the most notorious crimes in the Upper Midwest.

Tour the Wabasha Street Caves to see and hear the history of this unique venue. Originally mined for their sandstone, the finished caves were once The Castle Royal nightclub. There are mobster stories to hear before enjoying a box lunch in the caves.

Arrive at the Alexander Ramsey House for a St. Paul Signature Experience. This beautifully preserved Victorian-era home of a Minnesota founding family shares an insight into political and so-

WABASHA STREET CAVES

exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 23

I T I NER ARY Metro Region cial power in Victorian St. Paul. The house is filled with original furnishings and family items. Your tour will include excerpts from letters and journals that show the power and influence of the wealthy Alexander Ramsey, Minnesota’s first territorial governor.

Return to your hotel and refresh for dinner at any one of a dozen St. Paul group-friendly restaurants.

Depart for the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts and take in a performance of theater, dance or music. Groups are welcome for a pre-show reception and any Ordway Music Theater Season or Target World Music & Dance Series performance.

DAY THREE

Breakfast and checkout of hotel and depart for CHS Field, home of the St. Paul Saints.

Feel the thrill of being a Saint for a Day! In this St. Paul Signature Experience, you’ll learn the ins and outs of being on a minor league baseball team and see your name in lights on the CHS Field scoreboard. Your visit includes a tour of CHS Field, voted best new ballpark in 2015 by Ballpark Magazine, where you’ll learn the history of baseball in St. Paul and management’s philosophy that “fun is good.” Your experience concludes with a team workout, official jersey and cap, and lunch.

CHS FIELD. PHOTO CREDIT: LESLIE ANDERSON

Depart St. Paul with a suitcase full of memories.

ITINERARY SPECIAL MINNEAPOLIS

Group Experiences DESIGNED JUST FOR YOU

There’s so much to see and do in Minneapolis that it can quickly become information overload. This itinerary is a sampling of the area’s history and culture, outdoor adventure, behind-the-scenes experiences and world-class entertainment.

DAY ONE

Check into your hotel and enjoy free time for the evening. The best way to experience the local music and nightlife scene of Minneapolis is by venturing to a local venue and enjoying the sounds, regardless of the genre.

DAY TWO

After breakfast at your hotel, depart for Mill City Museum.

At the Mill City Museum, enjoy the video “Minneapolis in 19 Minutes,” and discover why Minneapolis was dubbed the “Mill City.” Stroll the exhibits and then take the Flour Tower for a unique educational experience and ride to the observation deck. Save time for the gift shop.

Tour the Guthrie Theater and experience “Actors’ Secrets for Powerful Presence,” a Minneapolis Signature Experience. Led by a Guthrie Theater professional voice coach, this tour will inspire you to find your real voice and acquire the skills to engage your listeners in everyday life.

Box lunch at the Minneapolis Institute of Art followed by “A Feast for the Eyes – Highlights of Mia’s World-Class Collection,” another Signature Experience. You’ll sample cultures throughout time and around the globe, while hearing the stories of the objects and artists.

LOCAL IRISH PUB PATIO DINING IN NICOLETTE

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Depart for Chanhassen.

PAISLEY PARK. PHOTO CREDIT: LESLIE ANDERSON

Arrive at Paisley Park and tour Prince’s amazing private residence and production complex. Experience what it was like for Prince to live, create and produce inside this private sanctuary.

Dinner and show at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres – CDT has been entertaining guests for almost 50 years.

DAY THREE

Breakfast at your hotel and depart for the Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts.

Meet the craftsmen and women of Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts for a fun-filled demonstration of the properties of glass. The glass demonstration is another Signature Experience that explores the history and stories of glass, while your gaffer creates pieces from molten glass.

Tour and lunch at Midtown Global Market, where you’ll meet the merchants and hear their stories of achieving the American dream in this melting pot of global hosts. Sample a variety of tastes and select your favorite for lunch.

The next stop is another Signature Experience called The Minneapolis “Insider” Segway Experience. Discover what the locals know as your expert guide leads you on a ride to explore the landmarks, popular attractions and hidden gems. Segway riding is easy and fun. Rain back-up options are available.

Return to hotel and freshen up before departing for dinner.

Dinner is at the Freehouse with private dining in the Volstead Lounge. The same care and craftsmanship that defines their beer and food goes into taking care of their group guests, guaranteeing a memorable evening.

SEGWAY TOUR OF MINNEAPOLIS RIVERFRONT

DAY FOUR

Depart Minneapolis with wonderful experiences and knowing you need to return.

Day 4 Option: If departing on Sunday, a Brunch Cruise on the Mississippi River with Paradise Charter Cruises is available. Your course follows the southern trails of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, showing off the best the Mississippi River and Minneapolis have to offer. exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 25

M I N N E S O TA Southern Region

MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY

Groups will find a variety of memorable experiences across the rich farmland and inviting communities of the state’s southern tier.

The striking Minnesota River Valley area was prominent as early as the 1600s for traders and a pivotal point in the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War. Historical sites along with small towns combine for almost endless touring opportunities in southern Minnesota.

SCHELL’S BREWERY, NEW ULM. PHOTO CREDIT: CAROLYN MARTI SMITH

To experience the everyday life of early settlers, a visit to the Historic Chippewa City settlement in Montevideo is a good start. This community replicates an 1800s settlement complete with log cabin, church, blacksmith shop and many other buidings.

SPOMER CLASSICS, WORTHINGTON

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New Ulm was founded by German settlers and retains much of that Teutonic spirit with a towering statue of Hermann, the German warrior commemorating his victory over Roman legions in 9 A.D. August Schell’s Brewery and Veigel’s Kaiserhoff restaurant reflect the community’s

AMISH BUGGY

um of Art in St. Peter, which is free and features regional, national and international exhibitions. Continue west to Redwood Falls and you’ll find all the accessories and decor items you’ll need for a country home at The Farmer’s Wife. Finally, tour the Fagan Fighters WWII Museum in Granite Falls, which has an incredible display of vintage aircraft and memorabilia.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY SCENIC OVERLOOK IN GREAT RIVER BLUFFS STATE PARK

KEEPERS OF THE SACRED TRADITION OF PIPEMAKERS. PHOTO CREDIT: MICK MYERS

In the southwest corner of the state sits Minnesota’s prairie land. Wild prairie grasslands dotted with wildflowers, small farming towns and pioneer history share stories of the frontier.

The striking quarries at Pipestone National Monument spotlight American Indian culture and the importance of pipe-making. The quarries are still mined, by Native Americans, and continue to be treated with admiration. Make certain to allow for the 22-minute film “Pipestone: An Unbroken Legacy,” plus exhibits and demonstrations. A

German heritage. Fort Ridgley State Park and Historic Site is an early military outpost that served as a buffer between New Ulm and a Sioux reservation. Ruins of the fort allow visitors to experience history firsthand.

For outdoors enthusiasts, Mankato should be on your “to do” list. With more than 50 miles on a half-dozen trails, it’s no wonder Mankato and North Mankato were designated a “Bronze” Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The nearby Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers offer everything from a leisurely paddle to a more thrilling day on the river.

Round out your visit to the area with these gems. In Kasato along the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway is Hallmark Glass, Mark Hall’s studio and shop. Visit the Hillstrom Muse-

WINNEWISSA FALLS AT PIPESTONE NATIONAL MONUMENT. PHOTO CREDIT: MYRA SMISEK

exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 27

M I N N E S O TA Southern Region

LAURA INGALLS WILDER MUSEUM

great way to view the quarries and the scenic beauty of Pipestone is the ¾-mile paved walking trail that takes hikers to “...tells Winnewissa Falls.

Laura Ingalls did. Put on a bonnet and apron for a unique photo op.

The 2007 television series “The War” was produced by Ken Burns and highlighted WWII’s impact on four American towns.

Luverne was featured and its historic Palace Theater was the site of the series premiere.

The Herreid Military Museum in the county courthouse preserves history

the history of the Ingalls family with memorabilia from the popular ‘Little House on the Prairie’...”

Fort Belmont in Jackson encourages visitors to release their pioneer spirit. Step back in time to the late 1800s while exploring the stockade and cabin, blacksmith shop, prairie sod house, and farmhouse with summer kitchen and museum.

In Walnut Grove, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum tells the history of the Ingalls family along with memorabilia from the popular “Little House on the Prairie” television series. The museum’s collections can be found throughout the venue in an 1898 depot, an onion-domed house, little red schoolhouse and early settler home. True fans can visit the original dugout home location and see surrounding sites that were referenced in Wilder’s “On the Banks of Plum Creek.” In nearby Sanborn discover Stan McCone’s Sod House on the Prairie and see the prairie as

SHOPS IN HARMONY

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from WWI and WWII. The Brandenburg Gallery, located in the former Rock County jail building, contains the breathtaking photos taken

by Jim Brandenburg, an internationally known nature photographer and a Luverne native.

Mountain Lake’s Russian, Mennonite and German Lutheran heritage is preserved at Heritage Village.

Visitors stroll through 21 buildings filled with displays depicting the life of these early settlers. Not to be missed are the Minnesota Hall of

Fame Telephone Museum, the dual-purpose granary building and the Gerhard Dick family home.

Currie is home to End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum. In addition to the manually operated turntable, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, the railroad display is a museum highlight.

nese Garden at Carleton College and Norwegian-American Historical Association at St. Olaf College are just a few sites that grace Northfield’s college campuses.

END -O-LINE RAILROAD PARK AND MUSEUM

Just a short drive south of the Twin Cities, groups will find a slower pace in the Southern Lakes area. It’s here that museums and attractions abound and downtowns provide a wonderful reminder of an earlier time. More than 50 lakes are found throughout the landscape with all the water activities you can imagine.

Hiking and biking trails wind their way through and around state parks.

With the picturesque Cannon River running through its downtown, Northfield is home to numerous music venues, museums and galleries. The Northfield Historical Society and Museum is the preserved bank that the James-Younger gang attempted to rob in 1878. The Japa-

Owatonna rightfully boasts a unique architectural landmark, the National Farmers’ Bank in downtown Owatonna. This cornerstone building was designed by the world-renowned architect Louis Sullivan. Completed in 1908 and preserved through the years in all its grandeur, it is Owatonna’s treasure of the prairie. More historic treasures are found in Owatonna at the State School Orphanage Museum. Built in 1886, it was a haven for abandoned and neglected children. Today the campus, museum and original boys cottage tells the story of the children who lived and learned how to cope with life institutionalized. Find Owatonna’s own fountain of youth at Mineral Springs Park, where the legendary healing

waters flow from the natural springs with Princess Owatonna watching over the scenic beauty of the park.

French-Canadian fur trader Alexander Faribault founded Faribault in 1834. Today, the downtown is the largest non-metro historic district in the state with plenty of shopping and dining choices. Tours are available at Faribault Woolen Mill, famed for its blankets and woolen products since 1865. The designer of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York designed the oldest cathedral in Minnesota, Cathedral

FARIBAULT WOOLEN MILL. PHOTO CREDIT: KIRSTEN ALANA

exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 29

M I N N E S O TA Southern Region of Our Merciful Saviour. The Paradise Center for the Arts exhibition gallery is part of the renovated Faribault Opera House. The Rice County Historical Society and Alexander Faribault House preserve the community’s history.

MYSTERY CAVE STATE PARK. PHOTO CREDIT: JIM HOFFMAN

Below ground, Mystery Cave State Park offers tours of Minnesota’s longest cave, which spans over 13 miles underground.

April 2016 marked the opening of the brand new Spam Museum in downtown Austin. Interactive exhibits and nine SPAMtastic galleries look at the canned meat’s history and popularity around the globe.

Fast-forward to the 1970s and Old Order Amish were relocating to Minnesota in Lanesboro, Harmony and Canton. Today, horse-drawn buggies are a common sight and the area is home to many gift shops selling Amish crafts and baked goods. Amish culture can be experienced with area guides, often including meet and greets with Amish families.

Historic Bluff Country and the Mississippi River Valley are both scenic and historic. A Minnesota Historical Society property, Historic Forestville near Preston is a step back in time to 1899. Look at life through the eyes of residents, the Meighen family. Along with costumed interpreters, you’ll discover 19th century merchandise in the Meighen store, see what’s cooking in the kitchen and lend a hand in the garden and farm buildings.

Just a short drive from the Twin Cities on the Great River Road is Red Wing, a Mississippi River community with one very large work boot. The size 638½ stands more than 20 feet tall and is located at the Red Wing Shoe Museum in the downtown flagship store. Red Wing also has a reputation for pottery, which is on display at the Pottery Museum and on tours of Red Wing Stoneware Company.

SPAM MUSEUM

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The National Eagle Center in Wabasha overlooks the Mississippi River. Programs, exhibits and live eagles at this attraction provide a look at the majestic birds in their natural environment.

NATIONAL EAGLE CENTER. PHOTO CREDIT: JACKIE SCHERER

Lark Toys in nearby Kellogg brings out the kid in all of us. See handmade wooden toys made by local craftsmen, a carousel of fanciful animals and an antique toy museum. In addition, there are toys for sale!

LARK TOYS CAROUSEL DRAGON

Looking at all there is to see and do in Winona, you may wonder if you have enough time. The Minnesota Marine Art Museum displays a permanent collection of waterway-themed masterpieces by Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, Gaugin and Matisse.

Home to two universities, Winona has a vibrant art scene with the Great River Shakespeare Festival rapidly becoming a top event. The Polish Cultural Institute and Museum honors early immigrants and celebrates the area’s Polish heritage.

Moving to the community so well known for the work of the Mayo Clinic, there is much to see and do in Rochester. The 100-room Mayowood Mansion was home to three generations of the Mayo family. The 49-room Plummer House of the Arts displays home innovations that were advanced for the time. For smaller groups seeking a healthy living alternative, the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program has experiences from fully loaded four-day signature to one-day wellness experiences.

GIANT RED WING WORK BOOT AT RED WING SHOE MUSEUM

The historic contributions of southern Minnesota may only be equaled by the region’s scenic beauty. Pack your bags for a few extra days and enjoy this wonderful slice of the Upper Midwest. exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 31

M I N N E S O TA Southern Region

Scenic Byways

SHOOTING STAR SCENIC BYWAY This official Minnesota Scenic Byway is one of the state’s first designated wildflower routes. The Minnesota Departments of Transportation and Natural Resources collaborate to manage wildflowers and native grasses along the route, which passes through rich agricultural regions and small rural towns with historic buildings of national significance.

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

HIGHWAY 75 KING OF TRAILS SCENIC BYWAY This route stretches 414 miles along Minnesota’s western border. Visit the communities along the way to appreciate the history and natural beauty of the prairie. You’ll be surprised! Experience fascinating historical sites, colorful festivals, national monument, and state parks.

HISTORIC BLUFF COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY Follow the lush Root River Valley and wind your way through what feels like a landscape painting of woodsy hills and dramatic dolomite bluffs. At a state park, naturalists lead tours of Mystery Cave and costumed interpreters portray life in 1899 Historic Forestville. Amish buggies are a common sight on these country roads.

32 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

APPLE BLOSSOM DRIVE SCENIC BYWAY This rolling farmland and bluff-top route travels high above the Mississippi River, offering dazzling views of the river valley below. Stop for a picnic at Great River Bluffs State Park, where short paths lead to scenic overlooks with panoramic views. Each end of this thoroughfare connects with Highway 61, which is Great River Road, another scenic drive.

MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY

Life still moves at an unhurried pace, neighbors wave at passing cars, and visitors are embraced with old-fashioned hospitality along this nationally designated route. Several spots focus on Dakota Indian heritage and tell the tragic story of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War.

SOUTHERN VISITOR INFORMATION C of C: Chamber of Commerce | CVB: Convention and Visitors Bureau | C & C: Civic and Commerce Albert Lea CVB 800-345-8414 albertleatourism.org

Harmony Area C of C 877-251-0606 exploreharmony.com

Visit Mankato 800-697-0652 visitgreatermankato.com

Pipestone CVB 800-336-6125 pipestoneminnesota.com

Springfield C of C/CVB 507-723-3508 springfieldmnchamber.org

Appleton Area C of C 320-289-1527 appletonmn.com

Henderson C of C henderson-mn.com 507-248-3234

Mantorville Area C of C 866-313-8687 Mantorvilletourism.com

Preston Area Tourism 888-845-2100 prestonmntourism.com

Tracy Area C of C 507-629-4021 tracymn.com

Discover Austin CVB 800-444-5713 austincvb.com

Houston C of C houstonmnchamber.com 507-896-4033

Marshall Area CVB 507-537-1865 visitmarshallmn.com

Red Wing VCB 800-498-3444 redwing.org

Benson C of C 320-843-3618 bensonareachamber.com

Jackson Area C of C 507-847-3867 jacksonmn.com

Montevideo Area C of C 800-269-5527 montechamber.com

Big Stone Lake Area C of C 320-839-3284 bigstonelakechamber.com

LaCrescent C of C 800-926-9480 lacrescentmn.com

Montgomery C of C 507-364-8888 cityofmontgomerymn.com

Redwood Area C of C & Tourism 800-657-7070 redwoodfalls.org

Wabasha-Kellogg C of C/CVB 800-565-4158 wabashamn.org

Blooming Prairie C of C 507-583-7573 bloomingprairie.com

Blue Earth C of C 507-526-2916 blueearthchamber.com

Lake Benton C of C/CVB 507-368-9577 lakebenton.us

Morton C of C 507-697-6912 mortonmn.com

Lake City Tourism 877-525-3248 lakecitymn.org

Mountain Lake Area C of C 866-685-2531 mountainlakemn.com

Caledonia Area C of C 507-725-5477 caledoniamn.com

Lanesboro Area C of C 800-944-2670 lanesboro.com

Murray County Tourism 507-836-1147 murray-countymn.com

Cannon Falls Area C of C 507-263-2289, Ext. 2 cannonfalls.org

LeSueur Area C of C 507-665-2501 lesueurchamber.org

New Prague C of C 952-758-4360 newprague.com

Elysian Area C of C 800-507-7787 elysianmn.com

Lincoln County Tourism 800-442-9854 lincolncounty-mn.us

New Ulm C of C/CVB 888-463-9856 newulm.com

Fairmont CVB 800-657-3280 visitfairmontmn.com

Luverne Area C of C/CVB 888-283-4061 luvernechamber.com

Faribault Area C of C/Tourism 800-658-2354 visitfaribault.com

Madelia Area C of C 888-941-7283 visitmadelia.com

Northfield Area C of C/CVB 800-658-2548 visitingnorthfield.com

Granite Falls Area C of C 320-564-4039 granitefallschamber.com

Madison Area C of C 320-598-7301 madisonmn.info

Olivia Area C of C 888-265-2676 www.oliviachamber.org Owatonna C of C/Tourism 800-423-6466 visitowatonna.org

Rochester CVB 800-634-8277 rochestercvb.org Rushford Peterson Valley C of C 507-864-3338 rushfordpetersonvalley.com Saint James C of C 866-375-2480 stjameschamberofcommerce.com Sleepy Eye CVB 800-290-0588 sleepyeye-mn.com Saint Peter C of C 800-473-3404 stpeterchamber.com Slayton Area C of C 507-836-6902 slaytonchamber.com Southeast MN Historic Bluff Country 507-864-2992 bluffcountry.com Southern MN Lakes Region 800-507-7787 mnlakesregion.com

Walnut Grove Tourism Info 800-528-7280 walnutgrove.org Discover Waseca Tourism 507-833-9281 discoverwaseca.com Waterville C of C 507-362-4609 watervillemn.com Western MN Prairie Waters 866-866-5432 prairiewaters.com Wheaton C of C 320-563-4110 cityofwheaton.com Windom Area C of C 800-794-6366 windomchamber.com Visit Winona 800-657-4972 visitwinona.com

Worthington Area CVB 800-279-2919 worthingtonmnchamber.com Zumbrota Visitor Info 507-732-4282 ci.zumbrota.mn.us

Lisa Havelka: Southern Region Representative PO Box 454 | Medford, MN 56002-0286 507.389.2683 | 1.888.975.6766 lisa.havelka@state.mn.us exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 33

I T I N E R A R Y Southern Region

Discovering SOUTHERN MINNESOTA ITINERARY

Across the southern region of Minnesota you will find a variety of activities and landscapes.The spirit and traditions of the Dakota Indians and early pioneers are recalled at numerous historic sites. Southern Minnesota communities are known for their antique shops, historic architecture and ethnic festivals.

DAY ONE

DAY THREE

Arrive to MSP International Airport and take advantage of many complimentary shuttles to nearby Bloomington hotels to overnight.

Shuttles can take you to dinner and shopping at Mall of America.

Breakfast at your hotel before departing for Historic Forestville and a scenic tour of Minnesota’s longest cave at 13 miles underground, Mystery Cave. Depart for Austin with lunch on the way.

DAY TWO

Arrive in Austin and your first stop, the Spam Museum, is where the story of Hormel Foods Corp. is told. The next stop is to tour the Hormel Historic Home, the stately 14-room home of the George A. Hormel family. Complete your afternoon by getting creative with a hands-on experience at Austin ArtWorks Center. Enjoy dinner at a highly rated restaurant before overnighting in Austin.

Pick up the Great River Road - Highway 61 and enjoy the breathtaking views of the Mississippi River as you travel south.

Arrive in Red Wing for a visit to antique shops and the historic St. James Hotel. Visit the flagship Red Wing Shoe Store to see the world’s largest boot museum, and full-floor outlet center.

Stop into Red Wing Stoneware & Pottery, take a factory tour and leave with an appreciation of the time and talent that is required to produce stoneware.

Enjoy lunch at one of more than a dozen well-reviewed Red Wing restaurants.

Next, it’s on to Wabasha and the National Eagle Center, home to non-releasable bald and golden eagles. Visitors will have the opportunity to see indoor and outdoor viewing areas of eagles nesting along the Mississippi River. Just a short drive down the road is Kellogg, home of the largest independent, specialty toy store in the country. Lark Toys was recently named the “Best Toy Store in Minnesota” and specializes in handmade wooden toys.

Arrive in Winona and visit the riverfront Minnesota Marine Art Museum, home to major works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, O’Keeffe and many others. The 90-minute Winona Boat Tour is a narrated tour of the Mississippi River. Following dinner in a downtown restaurant, you’ll explore the heart of Winona with Pointour Historic Walking Tours. Overnight in Winona.

DAY FOUR

After breakfast at your hotel travel to Worthington to tour Spomer Classics, one of the finest automotive collections in the Upper Midwest. There’s plenty of automotive memorabilia and numerous porcelain/neon dealership signs.

The first stop in Luverne is the Brandenburg Gallery, named after noted wildlife photographer Jim Brandenburg. There are more than 100 original pieces on display. Lunch on your own, then it’s on to Blue Mounds State Park featuring a Sioux quartzite cliff, bison herd and a sea of prairie grass and flowers.

Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone is home to the historic Pipestone quarries, beautiful tallgrass prairie and majestic Winnewissa waterfall. For countless generations, American Indians have quarried the red pipestone found at this site. These grounds are sacred to many people because the pipestone quarried here is carved into pipes used for prayer. American Indains continue the tradition of pipe making here today. Organized interpretive programs are available; programs may include talks, guided walks, multimedia presentations or other activities.

DAY FIVE

Breakfast at the hotel and depart for Walnut Grove. Tour the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum featuring a series of buildings including a 1898 depot, chapel and little red schoolhouse, plus memorabilia from stars of the “Little House on the Prairie” TV series.

Traveling on to New Ulm, the first stop is the Lind Home, erected in 1887 by John Lind, Minnesota’s 14th governor. Next, visit the Hermann the German Monument. The statue is an impressive remembrance of the Deutsch Germanic ancestry for many Minnesotans and commemorates a Deutsch victory over the Romans. Tour Schell’s Brewery, the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the country, that ends with a beer and root beer sampling in the Rathskeller Tap Room. Dinner and overnight in New Ulm.

WINONA COUNTY HISTORY CENTER

DAY 3

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DAY SIX

Breakfast at your hotel and depart for Minneapolis-St. Paul.

ITINERARY

A

Hub & Spoke TOUR FROM ROCHESTER

Beginning in Rochester, home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic, this itinerary takes you to charming Lanesboro and historic Owatonna, with plenty of fun and memories along the way. tecture of Norwegian ancestors. Victorian homes and public art also DAY ONE contribute to the town’s rich history. There will be time for shopping Arrive in Rochester mid-afternoon and tour the Plummer House in the unique shops and boutiques scattered throughout downtown of Arts. This 49-room Tudor-style home of Dr. Henry S. Plummer Lanesboro. Lunch on your own. sits on 11 acres of beautifully maintained and landscaped grounds.

The five-story, 300-foot-long house has numerous innovations that Meet your local guide for an Amish Tour. One of Minnesota’s largest were far advanced for the times. conservative Old Order Amish (Swartzentruber Amish) groups live in the Lanesboro/Harmony/Canton area. The Amish want to live a humble, simple life separate from the modern world of electricity, tractors and vehicles. The Amish are talented craftsmen and homemakers that create furniture, quilts, leather goods, baskets, and the popular buttery cashews and jams found in home shops.

Dinner is at the Pedal Pushers Café, where large groups are welcomed with meats and vegetables from local farmers. Following dinner, return to your Rochester hotel.

ROCHESTER ART CENTER

Complete your afternoon with a tour of the Assisi Heights Convent.

Explore the ornate architecture and discover the legendary proposal to Dr. William Mayo from the Sisters of St. Francis to build a town hospital.

Check into your Rochester hotel and relax before departing for dinner at one of the city’s group-friendly restaurants.

DAY TWO

Following breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a fun and informative tour of everything you ever needed to know about Rochester. Travel to the SEMVA Art Gallery, Heritage House, 56-bell Rochester Carillon atop the Plummer Building, the Soldier Field Veterans Memorial and much more.

Be the toast of the town when visiting the Toaster Shed, which holds the majority of Maynard and Marlys Jones’ collection of more than 920 toasters and related items. The oldest toaster dates back to 1909. Did you know the toaster was invented in Stillwater, Minn.?

There’s lunch on your own with shopping or browsing at the Apache Mall.

Enjoy a catered dinner at the Mayowood Stone Barn. The craftsmanship and beauty of the arches and windows evoke a sense of history and add comfort to every event.

DAY THREE

Following breakfast, depart for the picturesque drive to Lanesboro, listed as one of “America’s Prettiest Towns” by Yahoo! Travel/Forbes Traveler and one of the “20 Best Small Towns” by Smithsonian Magazine.

Begin your day in Lanesboro with the Lanesboro Historical Preservation Association walking or driving tour. See the captivating archi-

DAY FOUR

Enjoy breakfast and have your bag ready before departing for the Step Back in Time: Owatonna Group Tour.

First stop is the Steele County History Center featuring rotating exhibits and displays relative to the local area and Minnesota’s history.

Coffee and pastries on the patio follow, leading into a guided tour of the Village of Yesteryear on-site. Tour 19 structures as they portray life in the area at the turn of the 20th century. Enjoy an early lunch.

One time named one of the “11 Can’t Miss Stops on a Tour of America’s Hidden Architectural Gems,” the National Farmers’ Bank is our next stop. Located in the historic downtown, the bank was the first and most famous of Louis Sullivan’s jewel box banks.

Arrive for a guided tour of the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum. Get a glimpse of what life was like for the 10,635 orphaned, abandoned and abused kids that called the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children home between 1886 and 1945.

DAY FIVE

There are plenty of natural wonders above ground in southern Minnesota, but we should not forget what’s underground. A visit to either Niagara Cave in Harmony or Mystery Cave in Forestville State Park outside Preston is quite memorable. Guided tours of these unique geographical attractions explain the features and how these marvels have been formed over millions of years.

Located in nearby Houston is the International Owl Center. At the Houston Nature Center in 1998, Alice, a permanently disabled great horned owl, was acquired for educational purposes. Today, the Center’s mission is to advance the survival of wild owl populations through education and research. exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 35

M I N N E S O TA Northeast Region

Natural splendor and a wealth of attractions await groups exploring the Iron Range, Lake Superior coastline and pristine waterways on the Canadian border.

N LAKE SUPERIOR SUNRISE, DULUTH. PHOTO CREDIT: LEVI DREVLOW

Nature’s rich bounty in Northeast Minnesota whets the appetite for adventure, inspires artistic expression and feeds all senses. Guided walks with park rangers, drives along scenic byways and paddling on pristine waters are excellent ways to get acquainted.

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Natural SPLENDOR

and a wealth of attractions await groups exploring the Iron Range, Lake Superior coastline and pristine waterways on the Canadian border.

A getaway to this part of the state can be as pampering or challenging as lovers of the outdoors choose.

The rugged cliffs and canyons that glaciers left behind are astounding in beauty and sometimes demanding to navigate. It is the same with the complex networks of gorgeous waterways.

Reservations for guided boat tours at Vo y a g e u r s Na t i o n a l Pa r k , n e a r International Falls, are accepted three months in advance for

groups of 49 or l e s s . T h e s p r i n g t o e a r l y a u t u m n excursions can include a stop for lunch at remote Kettle Falls Hotel, built in 1910 by a lumber baron. At Rainy Lake Visitor Center are park exhibits, a film and self-guided nature trail.

Voyageurs is just west of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), 1 million acres of national forest, islands and thousands of streams and lakes. Picture 1,500

miles of canoe routes and 1,000 lakes and streams, bordering Canada’s Quetico Provincial Park.

Ely (population 3,460) is an excellent location for booking an outfitter and guide to explore backcountry waters for the day, an overnight or week of camping. Where to go will depend, in part, on paddling ability, comfort with wilderness conditions and group size. One U.S. Forest Service permit allows up to nine

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M I N N E S O TA Northeast Region people and four canoes into the BWCAW; the daily quota per entry point ranges from one to 27 permits. These slots fill quickly.

How rugged is the area? The Dorothy Molter Museum in Ely tells the story of one woman’s life. Known as “The Root Beer Lady,” she was a trained nurse and the last non-indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters wilderness.

The International Wolf Center and North American Bear Center, both in Ely, offer up-close ways to observe wildlife in their natural settings.

Extensive and interactive exhibits shatter myths about the animals. Explore at your own pace, or time a visit to coincide with researcher talks. The Bear Center schedules free behindthe-scene tours. After-dark observations for groups are possible at the Wolf Center.

NORTH AMERICAN BEAR CENTER

INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

HIGH FALLS WATERFALL. PHOTO CREDIT: EVE SCHRANK 38 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

Just a few hours from Ely is Grand Marais, an artsy community of 1,350 on the Lake Superior shore. It earned accolades as “America’s Coolest Small Town” from Budget Travel magazine in 2015. Tour or book a class at North House Folk School, where students make everything from wood-fired pizzas to traditional wooden boats, carve spoons out of wood and braid wool into rugs.

Fifteen miles northeast is the colorful Naniboujou Lodge and Restaurant, which began as a private club in the 1920s. Pro athletes Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey were charter members.

Cree tribal designs cover walls and the ceiling in the dining room, which has a 20-foot-high dome and is anchored by a 200-ton rock fireplace. Group rental rates for the 24 guest rooms can include buffet-style meals, but prepare to be unplugged: no televisions, Wi-Fi or cocktail bar.

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M I N N E S O TA Northeast Region

Another historic inn, the woodsy Gunflint Lodge is just across the lake from Canada. Each of 24 cabins, with one to five bedrooms, has a fireplace. On staff are naturalists and fishing guides. On the grounds are hiking trails, a two-hour zip line course and horse riding stables.

The casual but modern resort is near the end of the 57-mile Gunflint Trail, but this is not the area’s only scenic byway. Drive the 54mile Superior National Forest Scenic Byway for additional views of boreal woodlands, bogs, rivers and wildlife (especially birds) that thrive in the fertile ecosystem.

The North Shore Scenic Drive, a federal All-American Road, stretches 154 miles from the Canadian border to Duluth, hugging the Lake Superior shoreline along the way. The drive only takes three hours, but don’t do it nonstop. The road provides access to eight state parks, and the 1885 Lutsen Resort, the oldest in Minnesota, is a popular home base, offering accommodations from guest rooms to villas, plus an activities staff to address group interests.

NORTH HOUSE FOLK SCHOOL

HUNGRY LAKE LODGE GUNFLINT TRAIL

Walk to Gooseberry Falls, in a state park of the same name and Minnesota’s most-visited waterfalls. Visit Split Rock Lighthouse, a National Historic Landmark perched on a cliff. Then reward yourself in Two Harbors with a sweet slice at Betty’s Pies, in business since 1956.

Duluth’s big-city charms begin at the waterfront. The online Duluth Shipping News tracks the identity, arrival and departure times of massive freighters that open the

AERIAL LIFT BRIDGE WINTER SUNSET. PHOTO CREDIT: JOHN HEINO

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1905 Aerial Lift Bridge and pass by Canal Park. The 7.3-mile Duluth Lakewalk links this area, awash with boutiques and restaurants, to other lakeshore neighborhoods.

On the route is the free Duluth Rose Garden (3,000 bushes of at least 100 varieties in Leif Erickson Park) and Fitger’s, a renovated 1859 brewery with lodging, dining, shopping

and a revived brew house.

Also in Duluth, the Great Lakes Aquarium showcases freshwater species from U.S. and international waters. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum documents rail history in a big way, with dozens of locomotives and railroad cars in an 1892 railroad depot. The North Shore Scenic Railroad arranges two- to six-hour

sightseeing trips between Duluth and Two Harbors; group charters are possible.

Other northeast Minnesota itineraries make mining the star. Chisholm is home to the Minnesota Museum of Mining and Minnesota Discovery Center. After experiencing the history of the mining industry, visit the observation area at Hull Rust Ma-

SPLIT ROCK SPIRAL STAIRCASE PHOTO CREDIT: LISA CRAYFORD

BOUNDARY WATERS PHOTO CREDIT: GARY HAMER

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M I N N E S O TA Northeast Region

SOUDAN MINE

honing Mine View in Hibbing, home to one of the world’s largest open pit mines where iron ore is still extracted. Guests can catch a glimpse of two-story haul trucks and electric shovels as they operate 365 days a year. This mine is over 8 miles long and near Hibbing, where folk-rock musician Bob Dylan lived for much of his boyhood (see Dylan sidebar).

Journey underground at the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park – Minnesota’s first iron mine. Put on a hardhat and ride the rails in the mine. If you would prefer to stay above ground, you can still tour the drill shop, crush and engine house.

Actress Judy Garland was born in Grand Rapids, just 35 miles southwest, and that’s where the Wizard of Oz Festival happens every June. Open all year is the Judy Garland Museum, home to the world’s biggest collection of artifacts from the movie and celebrity’s life.

This little slice of Hollywood is yet another example of the delicious diversity within this beautiful part of Minnesota.

GRAND RAPIDS CENTRAL SCHOOL AND YELLOW BRICK ROAD

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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF...

Bob Dylan

Look toward Minnesota’s rugged Iron Range for clues about what helped inspire folk-rock icon Bob Dylan, winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature. The boy born as Robert Zimmerman spent much of his childhood in Hibbing, population 16,361, and music fans from around the world find their way there.

By appointment, Hibbing historians Joe and Mary Keyes arrange group tours of one to three hours. They board buses or lead group walks, whatever makes the most sense for the group. LeRoy Hoikkala, drummer for Dylan’s high school band in the 1950s, occasionally comes along.

Tours can include the inside of Hibbing High School, called a “castle in the wilderness”when it opened in the 1920s. It still has chandeliers, mosaic floors, marble staircases, pillars and artwork that includes a 60-foot-long oil painting, all about the area’s strong mining heritage.

Mary Keyes refers to nearby Hull Rust Mahoning Mine as “a manmade Grand Canyon,”and the influence this land had on Dylan’s music is a recurrent tour theme. At 8 miles long and 3 miles wide, Hull Rust Mahoning is among the world’s largest open-pit mines.

Dylan was born in Duluth, 75 miles southeast of Hibbing and the host of an annual Dylan Fest during the week of the musician’s birthday, which is May 24. Along the 1.8-mile Bob Dylan Way in downtown Duluth is a Dylan exhibit inside of Fitger’s, a historic hotel/dining/shopping complex. A highlight of Dylan Fest is a singer-songwriter contest; entrants perform one of Dylan’s songs and one piece of original music.

The Nobel Prize recognizes Dylan for “having created new poetic expressions with the great American song tradition.”

Poetry is a big part of Dylan Fest too, and organizers predict it will get bigger. The 2017 event is May 21-28.

To arrange a Bob Dylan tour in Hibbing, contact the Iron Range Tourism Bureau through ironrange.org or 800-777-8497.

To arrange a Dylan tour of one hour or longer in Duluth, contact the city’s tourism office through visitduluth.com or 800-438-5884.

BOB DYLAN MURAL. PHOTO CREDIT: TOM SMITH

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M I N N E S O TA Northeast Region

Scenic Byways NORTHEAST MINNESOTA

AVENUE OF PINES SCENIC BYWAY Some of the Highway’s outstanding scenic values include views of mature red pines stands, sparkling lakes, marshes, and aspen stands. Spatial sequences range from enclosed and focused in the pines, to open and expansive near the lake and marsh areas.

Lakes include Island, Round, Nature’s, Cut Foot Sioux and Little Ball Club, along with Lake Winnibigoshish.

SKYLINE DRIVE SCENIC BYWAY Overlooking the lovely port city of Duluth, the Skyline Parkway offers travelers a rewarding, bird’s-eye view of the harbor and the endless shoreline of Lake Superior. At the northern end of the Byway, Hawk Ridge is an excellent vantage point for watching migratory birds in spring and fall.

SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST SCENIC BYWAY This drive takes travelers on a relaxing wooded drive from the North Shore to the communities of the Iron Range. Fall color buffs will delight in the spectacular reds and yellows of the hardwoods, and the towering pines. There are no towns along the way, so enjoy the natural beauty and the chance to observe the area’s many species of birds. Migrating hawks can be witnessed over the Laurentian Divide at the Skibo Vista Scenic Overlook.

VETERANS EVERGREEN MEMORIAL DRIVE SCENIC BYWAY This section of Highway 23 has been known as the “scenic route to Duluth” for decades. Near the beginning of the route is Banning State Park, with camping, hiking, river fishing and canoeing. Creeks and small rivers criss-cross the length of the route, and near the end of the route is the Veteran’s Memorial Overlook, with a breathtaking view of the St. Louis River Valley.

NORTH SHORE ALL-AMERICAN SCENIC DRIVE SCENIC BYWAY The spectacular scenery of the North Shore of Superior, including seven state parks, has earned this scenic route a national designation as an “All-American Road.” Small shoreline towns offer restaurants serving local fish and produce as well as unique shops and art galleries.

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SPLIT ROCK LIGHTHOUSE

EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY This route was once used by voyageurs and loggers through the Chippewa National Forest, over rolling hills, and past bogs and fishing lakes. Much of the 47-mile drive that connects Grand Rapids to Effie was reconstructed in recent years, promising a smooth ride and spectacular scenery — from historic sites and lumberjack-influenced small towns to bald eagles and balsam firs.

SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL. PHOTO CREDIT: ALYSSA HEI

GUNFLINT TRAIL NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY Beginning in a harbor town on Lake Superior, this paved road heads inland through the rolling hills of Superior National Forest. There are no towns along the route, but side roads lead to resorts, campgrounds, canoe outfitters and boat ramps. Many of the lakes are within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Wildlife abounds, so there’s a chance of spotting deer, moose or bear, seeing a wide variety of birds, or hearing the howls of wolves.

NORTHEAST VISITOR INFORMATION C of C: Chamber of Commerce | CVB: Convention and Visitors Bureau | C & C: Civic and Commerce Ash River Trail Comm. Club ashriver.com Cloquet Area C of C 800-554-4350 cloquet.com Cook County Visitors Bureau 888-922-5000 visitcookcounty.com Crane Lake VTB 800-362-7405 visitcranelake.com Visit Duluth 800-4-DULUTH visitduluth.com Edge of the Wilderness Lodging Assn.

888-754-0011 edgeofthewilderness.com

Ely C of C 800-777-7281 ely.org

Lake Vermilion Resort Assn.

800-648-5897 lakevermilionresorts.com

Visit Grand Rapids 800-355-9740 visitgrandrapids.com

Moose Lake C of C 218-485-4145 mooselakechamber.com

Hinckley CVB 800-952-4282 hinckleymn.com

Pelican Lake Resort Assn.

800-777-4690 orrpelicanlake.com

International Falls, Ranier & Rainy Lake CVB 800-325-5766 rainylake.org

Proctor Tourism 218-624-3641 visitproctormn.com

Iron Range Tourism Bureau 800-777-8497 ironrange.org

Two Harbors C of C 800-777-7384 twoharborschamber.com

Kabetogama Lake Assn. & Tourism 800-524-9085 kabetogama.com Tim Campbell: Northeast Region Representative 11 E Superior St, Suite 550 | Duluth, MN 55802 218.302.6378 | 1.888.876.6784 tim.campbell@state.mn.us

BLUEBERRY ARTS FESTIVAL

DULUTH ROSE GARDEN

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I T I N E R A R Y Northeast Region

ITINERARY

NORTHEAST MINNESOTA’S

Mines & More

From Ely through the Iron Range to Grand Rapids, this tour shares much of the history and adventure of the region.

DAY ONE

exhibits. There are galleries, a theater, a trolley and museum store.

Lunch at The 43 offers both traditional and modern fare, or special order a “pasty in a pail” like the miners used to eat. Depart for Grand Rapids.

Check into your Ely accommodations before dinner at a local group-friendly restaurant.

Tour the Itasca County Historical Society Museum for an introduction to its logging history, homefront and a favorite daughter—Frances Ethyl Gumm, better known as Judy Garland.

From Duluth, travel inland arriving in Ely mid/late afternoon. Stop at the International Wolf Center, an interpretive museum filled with fascinating wolf facts and a resident pack in their natural environment.

DAY TWO

Following breakfast and checkout, visit the nearby North American Bear Center which features four resident bears living in a 2.5 acre naturally forested enclosure. There’s also a theater, the Northwoods Ecology Hall and an interpretative nature trail.

The Judy Garland Museum welcomes you to the world’s largest Judy Garland and “Wizard of Oz” collection. The restored historic house, beautiful gardens, museum store and the Lincoln carriage from the movie complete the visit.

Take off for an underground adventure at the Soudan Underground Mine. This tour leads visitors to the world of underground mining in Minnesota’s first, deepest and richest iron ore mine.

Check into your lodging and relax before a themed dinner at the Sawmill Inn.

Arrive for a visit with Sisu Heritage Homestead Tours. Actual pioneer homesteads, saunas, and a rare house barn represent the Finnish heritage of the community with many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Depart for Eveleth.

Breakfast at the hotel, bags packed and ready for checkout. First stop is the Forest History Center and a guided tour of a 1900s-era logging camp. Explore self-guided trails, a floating cook shack, climb a 100-foot fire tower, or just relax on the porch of a 1930s patrolman’s cabin.

Arrive at the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and witness the trials, tribulations and the glory of hardworking-enshrined players.

Relive the 1980 Olympic Gold Medal film. Depart for downtown Eveleth for a photo op by the world’s largest hockey stick, rising 107 feet and weighing three tons. Travel on to Hibbing.

Upon arriving, step inside the Greyhound Bus Origin Center, a fascinating museum that takes you through time as a 1914 hupmobile grew to be one of the largest bus companies in America.

Check into your Hibbing accommodations and relax before dinner at a local restaurant. An evening option is the Paulucci Space Theatre for stargazing and a 70 mm film shown on the 40-foot domed screen.

DAY FOUR

Tour the University of Minnesota Research and Outreach Center.

Along with Forest Management & Economics and Animal Science, the Center’s northernmost location in the 48 states is perfect for researching new plant survival techniques in Zone 3.

Following breakfast and checkout, you’re off to the Hull Rust Mahoning Mine View. More than 8 miles long and 3 miles wide, the Hibbing Taconite Company mining operation is a must see. Volunteers point out what’s happening within the mine as 240-ton production trucks, rotary drills and .33-cubic yard shovels do their job. Depart for Chisholm.

DAY THREE

Visit Hill Annex Mine State Park for a picnic lunch followed by an open mine tour descending into the mine’s history. Arrange for a special fossil hunt.

Arrive at the Minnesota Museum of Mining and experience life in the mining era as you tour replicas of an underground mine and Minnesota mining town. Become a miner for a few minutes aboard supersized mining equipment or super-speed steam shovels.

Depart for Duluth with fond memories of your Grand Rapids and Iron Range tour.

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HILL ANNEX MINE STATE PARK

ITINERARY

STUNNING VIEWS & MEMORABLE

Attractions

ON MINNESOTA’S NORTH SHORE

DAY ONE

Trains, ships, carriage rides and art are coupled with scenic landscapes and lake views.

GOOSEBERRY FALLS. PHOTO CREDIT: JUSTIN PRUDEN

Afternoon arrival in Duluth and check into your hotel.

Dinner cruise aboard the Vista Star. Enjoy a plated dinner in family-style seating while enjoying stunning views of the Duluth skyline, Lake Superior and the Duluth harbor.

DAY TWO

After breakfast at your hotel, meet your step-on guide for a two-hour City Tour. Take in the views from Skyline Drive and experience Enger Park and Gardens and the Rose Garden. Tour Glensheen Historic Estate, a historic mansion on 22 acres along the shores of Lake Superior. Have lunch on your own in Canal Park. Stroll the Lakewalk, shop the specialty stores, or just relax and watch the cargo ships entering the harbor.

State Park for a visit to the interpretive center/museum/gift shop and a view of the spectacular waterfalls from the paved walkway.

Begin your afternoon with a tour of a variety of museums at the St. Louis County Heritage & Arts Center inside the historic Duluth Depot; the Lake Superior Railroad Museum is world-famous. Next stop is the Great Lakes Aquarium, a freshwater aquarium that shows life in and around the world’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Superior.

Check into your hotel for an overnight in Grand Marais. Several area restaurants with interesting names like The Angry Trout, Blue Water Café, Crooked Spoon, Devil Track Resort and Sven & Ole’s cater to group dining needs. After dinner catch a show at the Grand Marais Playhouse, or enjoy local music in eclectic downtown establishments.

DAY FOUR

After breakfast at your hotel and checkout, dabble in the arts at the Grand Marais Art Colony. Founded in 1947 as the state’s first art colony, 20 students were enrolled in an eight-week summer painting class. Today the Colony continues as a gateway for people to creatively explore and interpret the area’s coast and inland wilderness. There are regular presentations and classes by artisans and ongoing gallery exhibits.

GREAT LAKES AQUARIUM

Enjoy dinner at a group-friendly restaurant with a lake view. Finish your Duluth day with a horse-drawn carriage ride with Top Hat Carriages.

DAY THREE

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel before checking out.

Board the North Shore Scenic Railroad for a scenic train ride with box lunch along the North Shore of Lake Superior to Two Harbors, a community rich in history: fishing, mining, shipping, logging and trains. Next stop is Split Rock Lighthouse. Shipwrecks from a 1905 gale prompted the building and opening of one of Minnesota’s most iconic landmarks in 1910. The lighthouse has been restored to its 1920s look and features a historic museum. Stop at Gooseberry Falls

The North House Folk School is an educational organization committed to enriching lives through teaching traditional northern crafts.

Among the offerings are boatbuilding, traditional crafts, foods, woodfired baking, basketry and northern ecology. Courses, programs and special events are scheduled throughout the year. Campus tours are available.

Take a driving tour of the area on the North Shore Scenic Drive from Grand Marais to the Canadian border. Take a moment to stop at the Mt. Josephine overlook; followed with a late lunch at Naniboujou Lodge, which was built as a celebrity favorite in the 1920s. Continue on your return to Duluth.

Want to continue the experience?

Continue to Ely, a principal access into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Ely is home to the International Wolf Center, North American Bear Center and some of the best professional canoe trip outfitters. The Gunflint Trail is 58 miles of paved highway with a stop at Pincushion Mountain rewarding travelers with a panoramic view of Grand Marais and Lake Superior. exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 47

M I N N E S O TA Central Region

SUNSET OVER LAKE MILLE LACS. PHOTO CREDIT: DOUGLAS ANDERSON

Touring CENTRAL MINNESOTA Lake cruises, winery visits, mining heritage and auto racing fuel group trips in the heart of the state.

The state’s nickname is “Land of 10,000 Lakes”— but Minnesotans are a modest bunch; the actual number rises far above that figure, and the largest, deepest (and arguably some of the prettiest) are found dappling the central region. They’re bordered

by fragrant pines and the birch and maples that burst into flaming colors each autumn. These alluring forests for which Minnesota is famous are anchored by quaint towns with oldtime Main Streets and intriguing museums and attractions, often housed

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Land of

in former train depots or historic courthouses. This is the treasured territory Minnesotans call “Up North,” where urban dwellers head for respite from the pace of city life and folks are eager to roll out the red carpet to welcome tour groups passing through.

f...

Photo ops, for sure, but groups can also pick up paintbrushes to create a memory. Materials and instructions are provided (food and beverages extra) and no experience is necessary at Art Bar 39 in Alexandria and Hutchinson’s The Paint Factory.

For a peek and a taste of what others have created, tour Redhead Creamery in Sauk Centre to follow cheese production from cow to curd. Or let Leatherwood Vinegary, also in Sauk Centre, showcase how vinegars are made from wine, followed by tours of their fruit and herb gardens. Sauk Centre’s Max Bats welcomes groups to learn how wooden baseball bats are manufactured, and these claim to be the hardest in the world.

GLACIAL RIDGE WINERY. PHOTO CREDIT: KAREN KAUFENBERG

“...follow cheese production from cow to curd...”

Speaking of sports, how about something faster paced? Snag seats at one of Brainerd’s two racetracks: North Central Speedway, boasting a dirt track at its finest, or the Brainerd International Raceway, the largest in the Upper Midwest.

SUNSET OVER GULL LAKE. PHOTO CREDIT: SUNNY AUGUSTINE

Those fabled lakes are a grand place to start. Groups can board the Breezy Belle paddleboat to circle Pelican Lake or enjoy a brunch, lunch, dinner or moonlight cruise on Destiny Cruise boats that paddle the waters of Gull Lake. Guides lead bird-watching tours that thrill those with binoculars or cameras in woodlands from Aitkin to Brainerd. (Minnesota boasts the nation’s largest loon population, and several rare varieties of owl.) Naturalist guides lead easy hikes through Lake Carlos State Park, near Alexandria, across terrain sculpted by glaciers, to see tamarack bogs and woodland ponds.

BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

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For a tamer, but equally enticing performance, Theatre l’Homme Dieu in Alexandria, is the motherlode of summer stock, staging old favorites with the talented actors of the Twin Cities drama scene. Or head to the nearby Lakes Area Radio Theater on second Fridays to become part of a live audience while live musicians, lively actors and astounding sound effects produce an old-style radio show. St. Cloud’s “Summertime by George” musical series invites visitors to mingle with the locals enjoying weekly free outdoor concerts in a downtown park.

To further savor the city’s natural beauty, St. Cloud’s legendary pair of public gardens beckons. Munsinger Gardens, along the Mississippi, is treasured for its shady vistas, a special treat for birdwatchers. Clemens Gardens blooms as a European-style formal garden traced with brick paths and centered by the Windsor Court fountain, while the Virginia Clemens Rose Garden scintillates with the sight and scent of 70 varieties of its donor’s favorite blossom.

memorabilia and provides an intro to the most technically advanced boatbuilding system in the world. The Minnesota Fishing Museum nearby displays 10,000 artifacts and a classic 1930s fishing cabin.

NATIVE AMERICAN BASKET MADE OF WILD RICE AND BIRCH BARK AT MILLE LACS INDIAN MUSEUM

To experience more of the mystique of the lakes, tour Legacy of the Lakes in Alex, which unfolds the history of its resorts and grand hotels and Minnesota boat builders, complete with classic fiberglass boats and a fishing gallery.

Larson Boat Museum in Little Falls welcomes tour guests to ogle its vast, priceless collection of boat-building

CLEMENS & MUNSINGER GARDENS. PHOTO CREDIT: TY MILLER

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Mille Lacs is one of the state’s largest lakes at 132,000 acres, and beside it stands the Mille Lacs Indian Museum & Trading Post, with interactive displays of the history, art and culture of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, whose turf this is. Nearby the tribe-owned Grand Casino welcomes tour groups to its four cafes.

For more peeks into intriguing history, visit the Runestone Museum in Alexandria, where that actual stone is on view, along with authentic log buildings, an 1880s schoolhouse and a 40-foot Viking ship called Snorri. Steer to Crosby’s Merrimac Mining Company, where rich iron ore was mined from depths of 630 feet. Today its original smokestack still stands aside the dry room, where workers cleaned up, now home to

THE FALLS CINEMA, LITTLE FALLS. PHOTO CREDIT: CAROL KASPER

scores of artifacts. Inspect a simulated cage that workers used to descend the mine and mockup of a drift, with mannequins of miners at work. Crosby’s Soo Line Museum, housed in a 1910 railroad depot, also documents life on the Cuyuna Range, spotlighting 100-year-old logging and mining tools and a black wedding dress.

interpretive center detailing family history. While in Little Falls, invite a step-on guide to explore this Mississippi River town’s history as you trundle past a barber shop of the 1850s, the historic courthouse, a Cass Gilbertdesigned depot and murals brightening brick walls. Fergus Falls’ own Otter Tail County History Museum takes guests through dioramas, period rooms and an agricultural wing.

“...Lone Eagle, was the first pilot to cross the Atlantic.”

Remember Charles Lindbergh? The most famous American of his time, this Little Falls native, nicknamed Lone Eagle, was the first pilot to cross the Atlantic.

Visit the cabin on the banks of the Mississippi River where he spent his boyhood summers, with an adjacent

MUNSINGER GARDENS

Another famous Minnesotan gets his due in his hometown of Sauk Centre. The Sinclair Lewis Interpretive Center lauds America’s first Nobel Prize

SINCLAIR LEWIS IN SAUK CENTRE

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M I N N E S O TA Central Region

BIG OLE ALEXANDRIA BIG OLE: AMERICA’S BIGGEST VIKING

WILLIE THE WALLEYE STATUE

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LINDBERGH HISTORICAL SITE LINDBERGH HISTORIC SITE

CARLOS CREEK WINERY

winner for literature and showcases his boyhood home. While in Sauk Centre, peek at the classic Palmer House Hotel of 1901, complete with original tin ceiling and Venetian stained-glass windows, where Lewis worked as a night clerk.

The story of our troops is presented at the Minnesota Military Museum in Litchfield within active Camp Ripley, with indoor and outdoor displays and stories of the contributions of Minnesota’s soldiers from early days through World Wars to present conflicts.

Continue the story at Perham’s In Their Own Words Veterans Museum, with audio and visual impacts, including accounts from survivors of Bataan.

Park the bus and wet the whistles at some of Minnesota’s premier wineries, such as Carlos Creek in Alex, with 160 acres of vineyards and apple orchards.

Tour the vineyards, production facilities and barrel room, followed by a quick course in reading labels and the sniff-

swirl process during an included wine tasting. Whispering Oaks Winery in Melrose and Glacial Ridge in Spicer welcome groups, too, as does Panther Distillery in Osakis—Minnesota’s first legal distillery, which utilizes a 500-gallon Kentucky still to produce vodka and more from local grains.

Craft breweries? Ya, you betcha, as they say around here: four in the Brainerd Lakes area alone: Jack Pine, Gull Dam, Big Axe and Roundhouse.

Wise operators will carry a sign-up sheet on the bus, for guests will be scrambling to come back.

PANTHER DISTILLERY

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M I N N E S O TA Central Region

Scenic Byways CENTRAL MINNESOTA

OTTER TRAIL SCENIC BYWAY This serene drive in pastoral Otter Tail County visits the forests and lakes of Maplewood State Park and Glendalough State Park, a scenic overlook at Inspiration Peak, and the 1889 Phelps Mill and millpond.

GLACIAL RIDGE TRAIL SCENIC BYWAY This officially designated Minnesota State Scenic Byway is a 220-mile route through lakes, woods and farmlands. Massive glaciers once covered this land; as they melted, they left west central Minnesota dotted with lakes nestled among hills and ridges. This byway offers several scenic loops and side trips.

PAUL BUNYAN SCENIC BYWAY This resort region is rich in history and beauty. This thoroughfare and bike trail are named for the legendary lumberjack whose giant footprints produced the area’s abundant lakes, or so the tale goes. The water tower in Pequot Lakes is painted to look like Paul’s fishing bobber. This drive is bursting with options for nature enthusiasts – birding, fishing, biking and hiking or casual day-trippers who prefer the boutiques, galleries and gift shops of Pequot Lakes, Pine River and Crosslake.

GREAT RIVER ROAD The Great River Road National Scenic Byway follows the course of the Mississippi River from central Minnesota through 10 states. Minnesota’s Great River Road is a network of roadways offering a bounty of river experiences in a parkway setting. It spans 565 miles, 43 communities, 20 counties, three tribes and six unique destination areas, providing public access to and promoting exploration of America’s Great River.

CENTRAL VISITOR INFORMATION

C of C: Chamber of Commerce | CVB: Convention and Visitors Bureau | C & C: Civic and Commerce Aitkin C of C 800-526-8342 aitkin.com

Elk River Area C of C 763-441-3110 elkriverchamber.org

Lake Osakis Resort Assn.

800-422-0785 lakeosakis.com

Alexandria Tourism 800-245-2539 explorealex.com

Emily – Fifty Lakes C of C 218-763-2480 – Emily 218-763-3113 – Fifty Lakes emilymn.com

Lincoln Lakes Area 800-462-0203 lincolnlakes.com

Alexandria Lakes Area C of C 800-235-9441 alexandriamn.org Becker Area C of C 763-262-2420 beckerchamber.org Brainerd Lakes C of C 800-450-2838 explorebrainerdlakes.com Visit Brainerd 800-450-7247 visitbrainerd.com Cuyuna Lakes C of C 218-546-8131 cuyunalakes.com Elbow Lake C of C 218-685-5380 elbowlakechamber.com

Fergus Falls CVB 800-726-8959 visitfergusfalls.com Glencoe City & C of C 320-864-3650 glencoemn.org Glenwood Lakes Area C of C 320-634-3636 glenwoodlakesarea.org Hutchinson Area C of C 800-572-6689 explorehutchinson.com Lake Miltona Visitors Bureau 877-833-2350 visitlakemiltona.com

Litchfield C of C 320-693-8184 litch.com

Little Falls CVB 800-325-5916 littlefallsmn.com Long Prairie Area C of C 320-732-2514 longprairie.org McGregor C of C 877-768-3692 mcgregormn.com Melrose Area C of C 320-256-7174 melrosemn.org Mille Lacs Area Tourism 888-350-2692 millelacs.com

Monticello C of C & Industry 763-295-2700 monticellocci.com

Pelican Rapids Area C of C 218-863-1221 pelicanrapidschamber.com

Perham Area C of C Morris Area C of C 320-589-1242 218-346-7710 perham.com morrismnchamber.org

Pine River Area C of C New London C of C 800-728-6926 320-354-2444 pinerivermn.com newlondonmn.net New York Mills C & C 218-385-3339 explorenewyorkmills.com

Princeton Area C of C 763-389-1764 princetonmnchamber.org

Nisswa C of C 800-950-9610 nisswa.com

St. Cloud Area CVB 800-264-2940 granitecountry.com

Otter Tail Lakes Country Tourism Assn.

800-423-4571 ottertailcountry.com

Sauk Centre Area C of C 855-444-7285 visitsaukcentre.com

Paynesville Area C of C 320-243-3233 paynesvillechamber.org

Spicer Commercial Club 320-796-8066 spicermn.com

Carol Altepeter: Central Region Representative 322 Laurel Street, Suite 32 | Brainerd, MN 56401 218.316.3330 | 1.888.629.6466 | carol.altepeter@state.mn.us 54 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

Staples-Motley C of C 218-894-3974 staplesmotleychamber.com Starbuck C of C 320-239-4220 starbuckmn.org Wadena C of C 877-631-7704 wadenachamber.com Whitefish Area Lodging Assn.

800-450-5835 whitefish.org Willmar Lakes Area CVB 800-845-8747 willmarlakesarea.com Zimmerman Area C of C 763-856-4404 zimmermanchamber.org

ITINERARY

Exploring

LITERATURE & LAKES (and so much more) IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA

DAY ONE

Head to Darwin to visit the Twine Ball Museum. This giant sphere, which was created in 24 weeks by just one man, measures 13 feet in diameter and weighs more than 17,000 pounds.

will see a log general store, log cabin, church, 1885 school house, and a large agricultural building with exhibits. Included in the fort is the 40-foot Viking merchant ship Snorri.

LINDBERGH HISTORIC SITE

Stop in Cold Spring for a pint at the Third Street Brewhouse. Try one of Cold Spring Brewing Co.’s four featured year-round beers or a seasonal selection.

Perhaps a sweet treat is more your taste? Then stop into the award-winning Cold Spring Bakery for a delicious treat. Call ahead to schedule a bakery tour or to have your treats ready when you get there!

DAY THREE

Immerse yourself in the unique botanical beauty of the Munsinger Clemens Gardens. Awaken your senses, delight in the natural beauty, and stroll the winding paths and brick pathways as you experience this dazzling St. Cloud treasure. The gardens showcase shade-loving plants, roses, unique blooms and seasonal favorites.

Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 flight from New York to Paris launched an aviation revolution. Stop in Little Falls to tour the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site. This includes his boyhood home and visitor center exhibits including a “Spirit of St. Louis” flight simulator, and an interpretive trail along the river.

DAY TWO

The Minnesota Military Museum at Camp Ripley houses historical military exhibits dating from the mid-1800s; weapon, uniform, medal and insignia collections; and an outdoor area with artillery, aircraft and military vehicles. Nowhere in Minnesota are the experiences of military men and women so vividly captured and interpreted for the public as at this museum. Exhibits depict the stories and contributions of Minnesotans who served in all branches of service, in times of peace and war, from Minnesota’s early years, through the World Wars, to the conflict in the Persian Gulf, and today.

Extensive outdoor displays include tanks, helicopters, and several towed and self-propelled artillery pieces.

Groups are always welcome at St. John’s Abbey, located on the campus of St. John’s University in Collegeville, and encouraged to explore the miles of trails, stroll the campus and join the monks for prayer. Schedule your group and receive a complimentary tour of the Abbey and Great Hall led by a monk. The Abbey Church commands a central presence. With its towering bell banner and three-story wall of stained glass, the Abbey Church is among the most striking pieces of 20th-century architecture.

The Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML), also located on the St. John’s campus, is home to The Saint John’s Bible, the first handwritten, illuminated Bible commissioned in the Western world in more than 500 years. The library also has the world’s largest archive of more than 100,000 medieval manuscripts on microfilm and digital images. Original folios from The Saint John’s Bible, rare books and ancient manuscripts are also on display.

The Crow Wing County Historical Museum offers restored sheriff’s quarters and an old county jail converted into a museum, county history, and American Indian, lumbering, railroad and mining exhibits.

Tour the Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home in Sauk Centre. Lewis was America’s first Nobel Prize winner for literature in 1930. Narrated guided tours are approximately 25 minutes long and take you through the restored turn-of-the-century home where Sinclair Lewis lived with his parents and brothers. Learn how his hometown inspired Lewis to write the novel “Main Street” in 1920.

Escape on the majestic waters of Gull Lake from Brainerd aboard Destiny Cruises’ magnificent luxury yacht, the North Star. Destiny offers day and night public cruises, fine wines, domestic and premium beers or signature drinks while relaxing the day or dancing the night away. An outdoor observation deck allows guests to take in the scenic Gull Lake landscape, while the indoor salon ensures maximum comfort for everyone aboard.

In Alexandria, the Legacy of the Lakes Museum celebrates Minnesota’s lake traditions and legacies, and is committed to their preservation for future generations. Visitors will discover classic boats, grand hotel and resort history, fishing memorabilia and much more.

Visit Fort Alexandria to see a replica of the original fort, built in 1862, to provide protection from the Sioux Indian uprising. Visitors

Observe the process of candle making in the factory while touring Kendall Candles in Pequot Lakes. Kendall manufactures, sells and distributes 500 candle designs, sizes and shapes and 70 fragrances.

Visitors are invited to either browse in the retail store or customize their own candles by selecting their favorite fragrances and colors, sizes and shapes. exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 55

M I N N E S O TA Northwest Region

Grandeur DISCOVER THE...

OF MINNESOTA’S NORTHWEST

BIG PIKE ON LAKE OF THE WOODS. MARK ARNESEN OF ARNESEN’S ROCKY POINT.

Historically charming towns mingle with the vast northwoods, the state’s largest lakes and the humble beginnings of the mighty Mississippi.

Tucked among the stretches of green wilderness in the northwest corner of Minnesota is adventure, exploration and excitement awaiting visitors. You may not know much about this area of the state, but what you will discover will leave you pleasantly surprised.

This region of Minnesota boasts a pleasant mixture of prairie land and northwoods, with hundreds of beautiful lakes sprinkled throughout. Diverse history, arts and entertainment can be found amid the charming towns of the northwest. It’s an ideal escape for

the Walleye Capital of the World, and anglers flock to this area yearround for great fishing action.

Other nearby big waters include Leech, Cass and Red Lakes and Lake Winnibigoshish (Lake “Winnie”). These waters boast muskie, crappie and walleye.

the rugged outdoors type and the cultured traveler. No matter what groups are interested in, they can find it in Minnesota’s northwest. “...between Minne-

Fishing isn’t the only thing you can do on sota and Canada, has the waters of northThanks to its abunbeen called the west Minnesota. dance of forests and Walleye Capital of Groups can paddle lakes, northwest Minthe World...” their way down major nesota offers a range tributaries and small of outdoor activities. branches of the historic Rainy Fishing enthusiasts can cast their River, admiring the scenery and lines on the legendary waters of spotting wildlife along the way. some of the state’s largest lakes.

Additionally, the Red Lake RivLake of the Woods, which strader offers similar experiences with dles the border between Minneoutfitters in the communities runs sota and Canada, has been called

56 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

SHOPS AND SHOPPERS IN PARK RAPIDS

HIKERS SEARCH FOR WILD RASEBERRIES FLOAT PLANE. OAK ISLAND exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 57

M I N N E S O TA Northwest Region

MOUNTAIN BIKING. PHOTO CREDIT: JUSTIN MILLER

through – Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, Crookston and East Grand Forks. Of course, visitors can also kayak or canoe on the area’s pristine lakes.

Avid cyclists will find trails galore.

From smooth paved paths to road routes to mountain biking trails,

it’s all here. Just west of Walker, located on the shores of Leech Lake, you will find the Heartland Trail. Built along an abandoned railroad grade, this trail travels through picturesque towns, offering groups some intriguing places to stop and explore. Those who enjoy roadway trails can try zip-

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ping along a portion of the Mississippi River Trail.

Nature lovers will revel in the natural beauty of northwest Minnesota. Chippewa National Forest, the first national forest established east of the Mississippi River, is nearly 1.6 million acres and

comprises almost 1,300 lakes. It features more than 100 miles of forest trails, perfect for wildlife viewing, mountain biking and autumn leaf peeping. Ideal for bird watching, the forest features the largest bald eagle population in the lower 48 states.

The Pine to Prairie Birding Trail, Minnesota’s first international birding trail, is a unique collection of natural bird habitats that provides homes for a variety of birds. Visit the Agassiz Environmental Learning Center for bird watching, spectacular views and the botanical garden.

In Itasca State Park, Minnesota’s oldest state park, you can walk across the humble beginnings of the mighty Mississippi before it makes its 2,552-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico.

The outdoor excitement doesn’t stop when the snow falls. In fact, residents in northwest Minnesota embrace the white flakes with open arms, and helmets in hand. Snowmobiling, which was conceived in northwestern Minnesota, is a treasured pastime, and groups can hop aboard for a ride on miles of groomed trails.

Visit the Polaris and Arctic Cat manufacturing facilities for behindthe-scenes factory tours.

Guests can also explore a number of cross-country ski trails, giving them

CHARACTER CHALLENGE COURSE IN PARK RAPIDS exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 59

M I N N E S O TA Northwest Region

PAUL BUNYAN AND BABE THE BLUE OX. PHOTO CREDIT: LISA CRAYFORD

a great workout while also taking in the beautiful winter vistas. For downhill skiing, groups can check out Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji. It features 16 runs with a 230-foot vertical drop, two terrain parks and 25 kilometers of cross-country ski trails.

Of course, northwest Minnesota isn’t just about the great outdoors. A plethora of history, culture and national legends in this corner of the state is just waiting to be discovered. Bemidji, the First City on the Mississippi, is known as the home to Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. Groups can take home a piece of American folklore and snap a photo in front of the Paul Bunyan and Babe statues built along the shore of Lake Bemidji.

“...appreciated for its mix of Native American and Scandinavian traditions, and these come through in the area’s art community.”

The city is also appreciated for its mix of Native American and Scandinavian traditions, and these come through in the area’s art community. Watermark Art Center hosts photography, painting, art and fine craft exhibits, and workshops throughout the year.

Paul Bunyan Playhouse is a live-production theater recognized as the oldest professional summer stock company in Minnesota.

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GREAT RIVER ART GALLERY IN BEMIDJI

LONG LAKE THEATER

Take a trip to Moorhead, on the North Dakota border. This lively cultural community has a variety of attractions. Located in a restored 1913 post office building, the Rourke Art Gallery and Museum in Moorhead features rotating galleries of work from local and regional artists. Exhibits include contemporary art, ceramics, American pop art and Pre-Columbian art.

The Comstock House, built in 1883, is a Victorian-style structure that belonged to railroad builder Solomon G. Comstock.

He was considered the founder of Moorhead State University and instrumental in establishing the first public library in Moorhead.

Groups can take guided tours of the house to learn about the history, architecture and original furnishings. Check out the Hjemkomst, a replica of a Viking ship, at the Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County. It was built by Robert Asp, who sailed it to Norway and back in 1982. The museum also presents traveling exhibits, and on the grounds is a replica of a 12th century Norwegian stave church decorated with both Christian and Viking motifs.

Northwest Minnesota offers groups a range of outdoor pursuits, from fishing and boating to world-class golf courses and some of the country’s best bike trails. It boasts excellent museums of all kinds, inspiring art galleries and renowned live theater.

A group trip to Minnesota would not be complete without a visit to the northwest. One glance is not enough to capture it all.

HJEMKOMST MUSEUM IN MOORHEAD. PHOTO CREDIT: MALI MISH FAMILY

MISSISSIPPI HEADWATERS

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Scenic Byways NORTHWEST MINNESOTA

CARRIAGE RIDE AND CHALET AT BUENA VISTA

WILDFLOWER GOLF COURSE AT FAIR HILLS RESORT

PIKE BAY CAMPGROUND CASS LAKE

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WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY SCENIC BYWAY Minnesota’s northernmost scenic drive travels west from Voyageurs National Park along the Canadian border. The route runs along the Rainy River from International Falls to Baudette, through fields of lady’s slippers from Baudette to Warroad, and along the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail west of Warroad. The roadside between Baudette and Warroad blooms with wildflowers, and the area west of Warroad is part of the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail.

The “Dancing Sky” refers to the aurora borealis, or northern lights, which frequently appear in the area thanks to its far-northern location and absence of bright city lights.

LAKE COUNTRY SCENIC BYWAY Approximately 3 ½ hours north of the Twin Cities, the 88-mile Lake Country Scenic drive travels a segment of Minnesota’s Pine to Prairie Birding Trail, and also connects three “anchor” towns: Walker, Park Rapids and Detroit Lakes. Itasca and the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge are good places for bird watching. Visit a small art museum in Park Rapids and a gallery of Indian art in Detroit Lakes.

LADY SLIPPER SCENIC BYWAY Journey through the Chippewa National Forest as you travel the 28-mile Lady Slipper Scenic Byway.

The Byway features pine and hardwood forests, great fishing lakes, recreation areas, historic sites and crosses the mighty Mississippi. Lady’s slippers, the state flower, are a common sight along the byway beginning in late June. Visit the Rabideau Civilian Conservation Corps Camp, a national treasure.

NORTHWEST VISITOR INFORMATION C of C: Chamber of Commerce | CVB: Convention and Visitors Bureau | C & C: Civic and Commerce Akeley C of C 218-252-1541 akeleychamber.com

Fargo-Moorhead CVB 800-235-7654 fargomoorhead.org

Lake Winnie Area Resort Assn.

218-265-2268 lakewinnie.net

Bemidji Area C of C 800-458-2223 bemidji.org

City of Fosston 218-435-1959 fosston.com

Leech Lake Area C of C 800-833-1118 Leech-lake.com

Visit Bemidji 877-250-5959 visitbemidji.com

Greater Grand Forks CVB 800-866-4566 visitgrandforks.com

Blackduck C of C 218-835-4803 blackduckmn.com

Hackensack Area C of C 800-279-6932 hackensackchamber.com

Leech Lake Tourism Bureau 800-735-3297 leechlake.org

Longville Lakes Area C of C 800-756-7583 longville.com

Cass Lake C of C 800-356-8615 casslake.com

Itasca Area Lakes Tourism Assn. itascaarea.com Kittson County 218-843-3674 tourkittsoncounty.com

Crookston Area C of C & CVB 218-281-4320 visitcrookston.com Detroit Lakes Regional C of C & Tourism Bureau 800-542-3992 visitdetroitlakes.com

Lake of the Woods Tourism Bureau 800-382-3474 lakeofthewoodsmn.com

City of Mahnomen 218-935-2573 mahnomenmn.org Minnesota Northwoods Tourism Bureau 877-955-2755 minnesotanorthwoods.com Park Rapids Lakes Area C of C 800-247-0054 parkrapids.com

David Bergman: Northwest Region Representative 1311 North Duluth | Thief River Falls, MN 56701 218.681.0997 | 1.888.563.7777 david.bergman@state.mn.us

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I T I N E R A R Y Northwest Region

ITINERARY

Experience

THE MEMORABLE TOWNS AND ATTRACTIONS OF MINNESOTA’S

NORTHWEST REGION

DORSET

“THE RESTAURANT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD” The town with a population of 22 received this nickname due to the four restaurants in town, equating to one restaurant per five people. The town is also known for its quirky political system. The recent former mayor, James Tufts, is 3 years old. His older brother, Robert “Bobby” Tufts, was elected at age 3 and served two terms.

DAY ONE

Stop in Hackensack and visit Deep Portage Learning Center, Minnesota’s “outdoor education and recreation destination.” Nearly 10 square miles of rolling hills, a pristine lake and dense forest await your exploration. You can also partake in classroom learning on wildflowers, birding and renewable energy.

Visit the Heart of Minnesota Emu Ranch in Nevis. Located on Lake Belle Taine, this working ranch offers a one-hour walking tour of the facility, which houses nearly 400 birds.

The guided tour includes the history of the emu in America, samples of emu products, and a visit to the chick, yearling, two-year-old and breeder barns.

DAY TWO

The Mississippi headwaters is located in Itasca State Park, near Park Rapids. Walk across the mighty Mississippi as it starts its winding journey 2,552 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Stand under towering pines at Preacher’s Grove. Stay the night at the historic Douglas Lodge or cabins. Explore Wilderness Drive in the 2,000-acre wilderness sanctuary.

Begin your Itasca experience onboard the 141-passenger river boat, the Chester Charles II. The narrated tour to the Mississippi headwaters provides a comprehensive overview of the history, wildlife and points of interest in Itasca State Park. The tour provides unique opportunities for viewing and photographing wildlife like the common loon, bald eagles, great blue herons, deer, osprey, and landscapes accessible only by boat.

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Wake up in Bemidji. From Lake Bemidji State Park to a top-notch convention center, with many lodging and meal options, you can use Bemidji as the base to travel to some treasured recreation sites. Bemidji State Park hosts naturalist activities and a variety of outdoor experiences.

Enjoy the Sculpture Walk, which runs along the lake and throughout downtown. With more than 25 sculptures created by a well-known artist, they make for a beautiful hike through the town of Bemidji. Walking tour maps are available. Don’t forget to visit Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox at the visitors center along Lake Bemidji.

Visit the Headwaters Science Center, an exhibit floor that features more than 40 hands-on exhibits, including live animals, a hot air balloon, tractor and pitching cage, and a unique science- and nature-oriented gift shop.

Located along the downtown waterfront area of Lake Bemidji, the historic Watermark Art Center hosts photography, painting, art and fine craft exhibits and workshops throughout the year. In addition, they display national, regional and local artists in group exhibits, solo shows and installations.

Tour the Forestedge Winery in Laporte for light and dry fruit wines made from the bounty of berries and fruits that survive in northern Minnesota. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the gardens where the rhubarb is grown. In the winery one can taste and purchase wine, visit with the winemakers, and tour the production area.

Take in a show at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Bemidji’s professional live production theater. The theater is nationally recognized as the oldest professional summer stock company in Minnesota, drawing actors from across the country.

DAY THREE

Where do we go from here?

Take in Minnesota’s rich Scandinavian heritage at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead with a full-size Viking ship that sailed to Norway in 1982 and a replica Viking church, also known as a stave church. Photographs, recordings and an award-winning documentary chronicle the construction of the 76-foot, handbuilt Viking ship and its incredible 6,000-mile voyage across the Atlantic.

Visit the historic Comstock House, built by Solomon G. Comstock in 1883. This Victorian home showcases the popular styles of the time, blending Queen Anne and Eastlake designs.

Comstock was a U.S. Representative, banker, and helped to build James J. Hill’s railroad. The stylish 11-room house stood as a symbol of his civic and business accomplishments.

Stop into the Dairy Queen in Moorhead, which has been around since 1949, and remains to be something of a local attraction. It is a traditional seasonal walk-up Dairy Queen and is one of the oldest original stores in the United States. In fact, Moorhead DQ is credited with the invention of the Dilly Bar.

Pop into the Rourke Art Gallery & Museum, where guests will view exhibits and rotating galleries featuring American, pre-Columbian, Asian, African and Native American art from local, regional and nationally recognized artists.

Head back east for the night and dine at Zorbaz in Detroit Lakes. This iconic Minnesota chain opened in 1969, with this location being the first, and was named after the popular 1960s movie “Zorba the Greek” starring Anthony Quinn. The lively atmosphere encompasses the “no shirt, no shoes, no problem” lifestyle of a northern Minnesota beach bar. They serve delicious Mexican food, pizza and much more.

Drive north to Hallock for a visit to Far North Spirits, the northernmost distillery in the contiguous United States. Far North is one of a handful of authentic field-to-glass estate producers of small-batch, craft-distilled spirits. Plants and harvests are all hand selected, and the owner himself mills, mashes, ferments, distills and bottles the whiskey, gins, rum and vodka. Tour the distillery and enjoy spirits and cocktails in the cocktail room.

A journey up to the Northern Lights Railroad Museum in East Grand Forks is a must. This Casey Holt Junction resembles a train depot and features a digitized scale model railroad and two digitized model railroads. It also has a telegraph office, public viewing hall and museum featuring historical memorabilia from the glory days of railroading. Outside there are 800 feet of standard-gauge railroad track under construction, featuring a restored Great Northern caboose, an operating block signal, motor car and other equipment.

Factory Tours

DIGI-KEY ELECTRONICS, THIEF RIVER FALLS Take a tour of one of the world’s largest electronics distributors.

Shipping more than 3.3 million orders annually, Digi-Key utilizes state-of-the-art technologies to process its orders — from order entry to shipping — in as little as 15 minutes.

ARCTIC CAT, THIEF RIVER FALLS Arctic Cat designs, engineers, manufactures and markets snowmobiles, ATVs and side by sides under the Arctic Cat brand name. Your group can enjoy a tour of the Arctic Cat facility. The passion of an American company is how they build the greatest recreational vehicles.

MARVIN WINDOWS & DOORS, WARROAD Experience the history of Marvin Windows and Doors. The exhibits include a combination of artifacts and interactive presentations that create a memorable experience for visitors of all ages. Tour the world’s largest manufacturer of made-for-you wood window and door products. Your tour will give you a first-hand view of the production process from rough lumber through the moment windows are loaded on one of more than 300 semi-trailers.

POLARIS INDUSTRIES, ROSEAU One of the most notable facts about Roseau is that it was the birthplace of snowmobiling and Polaris Industries. Today visitors are invited to visit the assembly plant in Roseau and watch snowmobiles and ATVs being built. Also visit the Polaris Experience Center, north of the plant, and take a trip back to the very beginnings of Polaris and the very first snow machines.

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M I N N E S O TA Travel tips

Travel Tips MINNESOTA

PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM J. FORD

MINNESOTA VITAL STATISTICS ORGANIZED AS TERRITORY:

March 3, 1849 STATEHOOD:

May 11, 1858 MOTTO:

L’Etoile Du Nord (The North Star) SONG:

Hail Minnesota

U

se these tips and contacts to set up your group’s Minnesota experience.

CLIMATE

MINNESOTA SALES TAX

Minnesota has four distinct seasons.

During spring and fall the weather can change quickly. It’s best to be prepared with layers of clothing. Temperatures are generally given in Fahrenheit degrees.

The Minnesota sales and use tax for most of the state is 6.875. The tax does not apply to food, clothing, shoes and medicine. In certain counties or cities, the overall tax rate can be slightly higher if there are additional taxes added to the 6.875 percent, such as a lodging tax.

TIME ZONE:

Central Standard Time POPULATION:

Bloomington Duluth Rochester St. Paul Minneapolis Metro Area Statewide

87,224 86,597 111,907 300,353 412,517 3,005,419 5,485,238

SOURCE: mn.gov/admin/assets/MN_ cities_townships_sdc_2015

CURRENCY In northern Minnesota many hotels and retailers exchange Canadian and United States currency and accept credit cards.

Some Minneapolis and St. Paul banks also provide currency exchange. It’s best to check ahead of time with a bank to see if the foreign currency you need is available.

One reliable method of obtaining U.S. dollars is by using Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) located throughout the state. These ATMs accept credit cards issued by major world banks.

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SMOKING RESTRICTIONS 800-798-9050 / health.state.mn.us

A statewide smoking ban applies to bars, restaurants, hotel common areas and private clubs. Tobacco products must be purchased from behind the counter where sold. Products include those “chewed, smoked, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or ingested by any other means.” Children under age 18 are not permitted to purchase tobacco products.

TIPPING/GRATUITIES The custom of tipping service personnel is a generally accepted practice in Minnesota: 15 to 20 percent for restaurant waitpersons, 10 to 15 percent for taxi drivers and $1 per bag for bellmen. Occasionally, gratuities are automatically added to restaurant checks, but not often.

MN/DOT OFFICE OF PASSENGER SERVICES 651-215-6330 dot.state.mn.us/cvo/mcop.html

The Office of Motor Carrier Services administers and enforces laws governing the for-hire and private motor carrier industry within Minnesota, including limousines and vehicles transporting the elderly and disabled.

TAXI/LIMOUSINE SERVICE Taxi service is ordered by telephone or hired at taxi stands. Beginning fare is $2.50, plus between $2.20 and $2.50 for each additional mile.

Taxis may require a $5 minimum fare and can add $4 for transportation originating from MSP International Airport. Many area hotels offer alternative complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport and Mall of America, or are willing to arrange for taxi, Uber, or Lyft service.

VAN/MOTORCOACH RENTALS Most car rental companies rent seven passenger vans. There are several rental agencies with offices at the MSP International Airport.

For larger groups contact one of the following local motorcoach companies.

JEFFERSON LINES

240 Kellogg Boulevard, E. St. Paul 651-222-0507 / jeffersonlines.com

From our home in America’s heartland, we connect people with their favorite destinations. Jefferson provides scheduled service and a full range of group travel services, including one-day and multi-day charters safely and on time.

Membership: ABA

LORENZ BUS SERVICE, INC. 8600 Xylite Street NE, Minneapolis 763-784-7196 / lorenzbus.com

Lorenz Bus Service provides personalized and professional transportation for groups of all sizes. With the largest fleet of late model and ADA accessible vehicles in Minnesota, our motorcoaches, mini coaches and transit buses are perfect for conventions, tours, and special events.

Memberships: ABA, UMA, and MCBOA

TROBEC’S BUS SERVICE

413 S. Country Road 2, St. Stephen 320-251-1202 / trobecsbus.com

Trobec’s fleet consists of full-size motorcoach, mini coach and school buses. Trobec’s travels throughout the U.S. and Canada, providing transportation for weddings, day trips or long-distance tours. No trip is too big, or too small. Trobec’s is capable of coordinating transportation for corporate events and large or small conventions.

MASS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT 612-373-3333 / metrotransit.org

The Metropolitan Council Transit Operations (MCTO) system provides a full schedule of buses, light rail and a commuter train route throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Log on for schedule and route information.

LRT Minnesota Light Rail Transit (LRT) system makes getting around easy with newly expanded stops along the Blue Line, including Mall of America in Bloomington and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, as well as several in downtown Minneapolis. The newly opened Green Line connects Minneapolis and St. Paul with stops at the University of Minnesota campus.

NICE RIDE MINNESOTA 877-551-6423 / niceridemn.org Explore Minneapolis-St. Paul and some areas of greater Minnesota by bicycle. Between April and November and for a small fee, rent one of more than 1,700 public bicycles available at 190 stations and return it to any station. Cost is dependent upon length of subscription and length of time each bicycle is checked out.

Bring your own bike lock and helmet for safety.

NORTHSTAR COMMUTER RAIL Northstartrain.org The Northstar Commuter Rail Line, the state’s first commuter rail line, offers service from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis. Visit metrotransit.org for additional information, including full route schedules, where to purchase tickets and how to ride.

GREATER MINNESOTA AREA Other Minnesota bus services include Duluth Transit Authority (218-722-4426), St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission (320-251-1499), and Rochester City Lines (507-288-4353).

MOTORCOACH REGULATIONS AND INSURANCE Minnesota participates in the Single State Registration System. A copy of your ICC Operating Authority and proof of insurance should be filed with your base state. For additional assistance, contact: Petroleum Division Minnesota Department of Revenue, 651-296-0889.

Minnesota cares about passenger safety. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety conducts random motorcoach inspections throughout the state. These are completed while passengers are off the coach.

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M I NNESOTA welcome centers

MINNESOTA WELCOME CENTERS Explore Minnesota operates 10 Highway Welcome Centers. Most are staffed daily. Skilled travel counselors provide a variety of travel services free of charge. Hours vary.

ALBERT LEA

Northbound I-35 at Iowa border 507-448-3311 Open year-round.

BEAVER CREEK

East I-90 at South Dakota border 605-757-6599 Open year-round, limited hours December through February.

DRESBACH

West I-90 U.S. Hwy 61 at Wisconsin border 507-895-2005 Open year-round, limited hours November through February.

FISHER’S LANDING

U.S. Hwy 2, 10 miles east of North Dakota border 218-773-7879 Open May through September.

GRAND PORTAGE BAY

U.S. Hwy 61 on Canadian border 218-475-2346 Open year-round.

MOORHEAD

ST. PAUL

ST. CLOUD

THOMPSON HILL

Eastbound I-94 east of U.S. Hwy 75 218-299-5944 Open year-round.

U.S. Hwy 10, 1 mile southeast of Saint Cloud Open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day and weekends September to May.

ST. CROIX

Westbound I-94, 3 miles from Wisconsin border 651-296-0733 Open year-round.

MC/DOT OFFICE OF MOTOR CARRIER SERVICES

121 7th Place E. 651-296-5029, or 1-888-868-7476 Open weekdays year-round.

Skyline Drive, Duluth I-35 at Boundary Ave. exit 218-723-4938 Open year-round.

WORTHINGTON

U.S. Hwys 59/60, 5 miles north of Iowa border 507-376-3352 Open May through October.

615-215-6330 / Dot.State.Mn.Us/motorcarrier The Office of Motor Carrier Services administers and enforces laws governing the for-hire and private motor carrier industry within Minnesota, including limousines, vehicles transporting the elderly and disabled.

68 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR INFORMATION Passport regulations currently require that all persons who travel by air must present a valid passport, Air Nexus card or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner document.

BANNING STATE PARK. PHOTO CREDIT: SAIBAL GHOSH

FOREIGN CONSULATES Foreign consulate information is available for the following: AUSTRIAN CONSULATE 763-543-0109 BELGIUM HONORARY CONSULATE 651-699-2528 CANADIAN CONSULATE GENERAL 612-333-4641 ECUADORIAN CONSULATE 612-721-6468 FINNISH HONORARY CONSULATE 612-374-2718

> Canadian citizens who travel by air, land, or sea will need a

government-issued photo identification such as a passport, or enhanced driver’s license to enter the U.S.

> Canadian citizens 15 years of age and under will only require

proof of citizenship such as an original, or a copy of a birth certificate, or a Canadian citizenship card. Canadian citizens 18 years of age and under who are travelling with a school or other organized group, under adult supervision with parental/guardian consent may simply present proof of citizenship.

> Citizens, including children, are required to present a passport

with a nonimmigrant visa or laser visa Border Crossing Card to cross the U.S. border. travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html cbsa.gc.ca (Canada Border Service Agency) dhs.gov (Department of Homeland Security)

GERMAN HONORARY CONSULATE 651-962-4080 UNITED KINGDOM HONORARY CONSULATE 612-338-2525 HUNGARIAN HONORARY CONSULATE 612-554-6227 ICELANDIC CONSULATE GENERAL 952-942-5745 LUXEMBOURG HONORARY CONSULATE 612-220-0404 MEXICAN CONSULATE 651-771-5494 NORWEGIAN HONORARY CONSULATE GENERAL 612-332-3338 ROMANIAN HONORARY CONSULATE 612-574-9472 SWEDISH HONORARY CONSULATE GENERAL 612-870-3377 SWITZERLAND CONSULATE 763-478-3018

TWO BIRDS FLYING OVER THE BOUNDARY WATERS. PHOTO CREDIT: PETER DE SIBOUR

exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 69

M I NNESOTA telephone numbers

TELEPHONE NUMBERS & WEB ADDRESSES WEB ADDESSES

LOCAL

TOLL FREE

651-757-1873

800-657-3600

651-757-1863

800-657-3700

MINNESOTA TOUR CONTACT Minnesota Group Tour Information

exploreminnesota.com

Minnesota Welcome Centers (Consumer Travel Information)

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Armed Forces Center

mnafsc.org

612-726-9155

Terminal 2 Information

mspairport.com

612-726-5800

Foreign Currency / Teleticket

travelex.com

612-726-5187

Terminal 1 Information

mspairport.com

612-726-5555

Lost and Found

mspairport.com

612-726-5141

MSP Airport Conference Center

shopsatmsp.com

612-794-4500

Parking & Garage Information Line

mspairport.com

877-359-7275

Police (Terminal 1)

612-726-5577

Police (Terminal 2)

612-726-5207

Traveler’s Assistance

mspairport.com

612-726-5500

U.S. Customs

cbp.gov

612-725-3689

Commercial Vehicles

mndot.gov

651-215-6330

General Information

511mn.org

651-296-3000

mnhs.org

651-259-3000

MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Road Conditions and Construction Information

511 800-657-3774

MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SITES General Information POLICE / FIRE EMERGENCY

911

PUBLIC TRANSIT Metro Transit

metrotransit.org

612-373-3333

Duluth Transit Authority

duluthtransit.com

218-722-7283

Rochester City Lines

rochestercitylines.com

507-288-4353

St. Cloud Metro Bus

stcloudmtc.com

320-251-7433

RAIL SERVICE Amtrak

amtrak.com

Metro Transit Blue, Green and Northstar Lines

metrotransit.org

800-872-7245 612-573-3333

TAXI SERVICE / MSP METROPOLITAN AREA ABC Blue and White Minneapolis

blueandwhitetaxi.com

612-333-3331

Yellow Cab, St. Paul

saintpaulyellowtaxi.com

651-222-4433

MAJOR AIRLINES Air Canada

aircanada.com

888-247-2262

Air Tran

airtran.com

800-247-8726

American

aa.com

800-433-7300

Delta

delta.com

800-221-1212

Frontier

flyfrontier.com

800-432-1359

Great Lakes

flygreatlakes.com

800-554-5111

Icelandair

icelandair.com

800-223-5500

KLM

klm.com

800-447-4747

Southwest

southwest.com

800-435-9792

Spirit

spirit.com

801-401-2200

Sun Country

suncountry.com

800-800-6557

United

united.com

800-864-8331

70 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

exploreminnesota.com • Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner 71

INFORMATION CENTER THESE ADVERTISERS SPECIALIZE IN GROUP & PACKAGED TRAVEL. PLEASE SEND ME INFORMATION ON CHECKED ADVERTISERS. o Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau o Down in History Tours o Eagan Convention & Visitors Bureau o Fon-du-Luth Casino

Let these advertisers help to plan

BETTER MINNESOTA GROUP AND PACKAGED TRAVEL TRIPS! Request information on advertisers in this edition and we’ll connect you directly with qualified destinations and attractions.

Name_________________________________Title______________

o Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau o Lutsen Mountains o Mall of America o Meet Minneapolis o Minnesota Historical Society o Minnesota Zoo o Mystic Lake Casino o New Ulm Convention & Visitors Bureau

Company/Group Name______________________________________

o Park Rapids Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Type of Group_____________________________________________

o Plymouth Playhouse

Address_________________________________________________

o Red Wing Visitors & Convention Bureau o Roseville Visitors Association

City________________________State________Zip______________

o Sauk Centre Convention & Visitors Bureau

Phone_______________Fax_____________Email_______________

o Visit Greater St. Cloud

Signature (required) __________________________Date____________ City of Birth (required)________________________________________

COPY THIS PAGE AND RETURN TO: Fax: 630-794-0652 MAIL: PTM Publications 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527

RESPOND TODAY! 72 Minnesota Group & Packaged Travel Planner • exploreminnesota.com

o Visit Saint Paul o Visit Winona o Worthington Convention & Visitors Bureau PLEASE SEND ME INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING SPECIALTY TOURS. __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ Size of group________________________ Proposed Dates: __________________________

(Year/Month)